


Death of Mandalore

by evabellasworld29



Series: Star Wars AU [2]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Prequel Trilogy, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Star Wars Setting, Angst and Tragedy, Broken Promises, Canonical Character Death, Dialogue Heavy, F/M, Family Drama, Family Dynamics, Family Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Gen, Heavy Angst, Love Confessions, Male-Female Friendship, Original Character Death(s), Planet Mandalore (Star Wars), References to Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008), Star Wars AU - No Palpatine, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) Spoilers, Tragedy, Tragic Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-26
Updated: 2021-03-16
Packaged: 2021-03-16 23:47:51
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 14
Words: 21,218
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29708394
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/evabellasworld29/pseuds/evabellasworld29
Summary: After murdering Chancellor Palpatine of the Galactic Republic, Vanya Doyvesky joined leagues with both Death Watch and Darth Maul, hoping to reclaim her Mandalorian warrior heritage. But with broken promises and betrayal against Death Watch and Maul's crime syndicate, the former Mandalorian Jedi had to choose the right path not only for her but for Clan Doyvesky as well.
Relationships: Bo-Katan Kryze & Pre Viszla, Bo-Katan Kryze & Satine Kryze, Darth Maul & Original Female Character(s), Darth Maul & Pre Vizsla, Darth Maul & Savage Opress, Korkie Kryze & Satine Kryze, Obi-Wan Kenobi & Darth Maul, Obi-Wan Kenobi & Original Female Character(s), Obi-Wan Kenobi/Satine Kryze
Series: Star Wars AU [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2014378
Kudos: 4





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> This fic is a direct sequel to Twilight of the Republic. If you haven't read it, please do so for a better understanding of the whole story. Thank you

Walking out of a convenience store, a brunette Jedi was carrying a bag of snacks while slurping her cup of protein shakes that she bought from a smoothie vendor earlier. Clad in her maxi white dress, Vanya could only sigh as she paced through Rencia Streets, which was located in the lower level of Coruscant. Unlike the upper level where Vanya lived, the roads had plastic bags floating on the roadside as the air surrounding her reeked of rotting food that was thrown away for a while.

Vanya didn’t want to come here in the first place, after reading the news where a woman around her age was found dead in the streets. She shivered as she gripped her arms on the handle of her bag, looking left and right just to make sure she wasn’t being followed by a strange man.

As if that wasn’t worst, Rencia Streets was notorious for murder cases, with high-profile serial killers like ‘The Archangel Slayer’ and ‘The Monday Killer’ lived here, targeting both women and children alike. But she didn’t have much choice, since her apprentice, Ava Lira Young wanted a box of chocolate chips, along with her sister.

Reaching the hoverbus stop, she noticed a tall figure sitting on the bench, alone. Vanya could barely recognise his face since he was wearing a hood, but she does notice sharp horns almost protruding from his hood. For safety, the Jedi Master avoided him by sitting on another bench, waiting for her ride back to the Temple. 

Since there was no sky in the lower levels, Vanya could only assume that it was already late, and she needed to head back as soon as possible, in case the Jedi requested for her personally. With the war effort going on in the Outer Rim, she barely has enough time to rest, let alone meditate on her own thoughts.

She also hardly sees Lira anymore, as she and her twin sister were also occupied with battles that she had to endure for days and days. Hopefully, the cookies that she bought from the convenience store would compensate for her absence and show them her affection towards them. 

“Waiting for someone?” the hooded figure asked, making her gasped. Vanya wasn’t expecting the man to say anything to her, let alone start a conversation with her since they both barely know each other. 

“Yeah, sure,” she lied, hoping for him to leave her alone. She turned away from him as she glanced at the box of cookies that she got for her child, reminding her that she will return to the Jedi Temple safe and sound. 

The hooded figure stared at her, much to her discomfort. “You know, a little bird told me that you were from Mandalore,” he conveyed. “Is that true, Vanya Doyvesky?”

Her eyes widened as she turned to him, igniting her blue blades. “Who are you, and what do you want from me?”

The hooded figure gave a slight smile as he unraveled his hood, revealing a horned man with red skin and black stripes tattooed all over his body, including his face. “I can assure you that I am only here to meet you personally,” Maul raised both his hands in midair. “I am not here to hurt or kill you, Master Jedi.”

“Tell me, Sith, did Dooku send you here to kill me?” Vanya gave him a hard glance. “Because if he did, then I want you to notify him that your mission was unsuccessful.”

“Count Dooku was merely a Sith pretender,” Maul growled, as he clenched his fist and let the small pebbles hover in midair. “I am Darth Maul, the true Lord of the Sith. I was born with the dark side, while he merely joined the rank of the Sith. He is just a pawn to my master’s plan to destroy the Jedi and the Republic into ashes!”

For a moment, Vanya could only deactivate her weapons as she let her bag drop on the floor, her lips quivering. “But I thought there can only be two Sith, which was the master and apprentice, from what I learned.”

“Ah yes, the Rule of Two,” he spoke in a calm voice. “Formed by our lord and saviour, Darth Bane as a way of ruling over the Sith for millennia.”

“I think the word you were looking for to describe Darth Bane was a mass murderer and a psychopath,” she rolled her eyes, picking up her bag. “Look, thanks for your offer, but I’m happy with the Jedi Order so if you excuse me, I should get going.”

He let out a sinister laugh as she watched her leave the bus stop. “I think happiness is an exaggerating word to describe the Jedi Order, Master Doyvesky?”

She stopped dead in her tracks, her blood running cold. “What did you say?”

“Oh, I spoke with your sister, Vasilia,” he continued. “She’s in Death Watch if I’m not mistaken.”

Vanya clenched her teeth as she turned around, her eyebrows furrowed. “How did you know that I have an older sister?”

“My brother and I were rescued by Death Watch. Their leader, Pre Vizsla, wanted to take back Mandalore from Duchess Satine, in exchange for my revenge against Kenobi.”

“Kenobi is my best friend,” Vanya defended, her voice turning harsh. “Why would you want to kill him?”

“He took everything from me! He chopped off my legs, made me suffer in agony for decades, and stole years of hard work that I've achieved as a Sith Lord.”

“Maybe you deserve it,” Vanya shook her head. “You did kill his master right in front of him anyways so-”

“If you and Kenobi are such good friends, then why do you have to hide from him?” Maul invoked a question towards her, making her heart race. “I thought close friends don't keep secrets with each other.”

“Well,” she stammered, not knowing how to answer. “He's part of the Jedi Council, which was strict with their rules.”

“And what kind of rules did you broke, Master Doyvesky? Was it forming an attachment with your family, or was it having an intense feeling towards a woman that you meet in the streets?”

“He doesn't need to know that,” she gulped, her palms feeling clammy. “Kenobi has too many things on his plate, and those aren't relevant to him anyways.”

“Ah, but he does share his last with you with the Duchess, am I correct?”

Vanya felt exposed. It is true that Obi-Wan told her about how he and Satine fell in love when they were younger, and how he regretted not confessing his feelings towards her. But somehow, she couldn't find herself telling him about her crush on Sohee, whom she always sold her the best pura cera on Coruscant.

“You can't even say a word, can you, Master Jedi?” the Zabrak mocked her, noticing her sullen face.

“Whatever it is, it doesn't matter,” she looked at him, dead in the eye. “Obi-Wan and I are friends, and nothing will ever change my friendship with him, no matter what.”

“But what if I told you that both the Republic and the Separatist were controlled by a Sith Lord?” he smiled, placing his arms behind him. “What would you do, Master Jedi?”

“Then I'll warn the Jedi and the Chancellor about this piece of information,” answered Vanya. “Assuming that the evidence was present, of course.”

“Well, from what I heard, it seems that Count Dooku has taken a liking to Kenobi very much, to the point where he told him about what I've just said to you earlier.”

She burst into laughter. “That's ridiculous. If Dooku actually told Obi-Wan that the Sith controlled the Republic and the Separatist, I would have known as well.”

“And yet he kept that away from you and your apprentice,” Maul pointed out. “For a good friend, he seems to keep you in the dark instead of enlightening you with this vital information that would've saved the galaxy from darkness.”

Vanya pondered, wondering if her friendship with Obi-Wan meant anything to her. All this while, she thought she was a terrible friend for having secrets from him, but now she realizes that he's done the same to her. 

All those years of their friendship, she thought that he was the most trustworthy person in her life. She felt that she could rely on him whenever she needed support. And she considered Obi-Wan Kenobi as an honest person she's ever known, until now.

She couldn't believe that she forgave him for faking his death just to save the Chancellor from assassination. She couldn't believe that she excused him for keeping Lira and Eva's true parentage from them, justifying that they're too young to understand. Whenever Vanya screwed up, Obi-Wan would ignore her but if it's the other way around, she had to forgive him and move on.

_Maul is right,_ Vanya thought, as she shifted her focus towards the Sith, withholding her tears. “How do I know I can trust you?”

“I'll give you a warm reunion with your family,” he offered. “And liberate Mandalore from oppression. I know that the Duchess has forced you and your family to assimilate with her pacifist ideals, but in return, you'll have to do what I ask. That way, we both get what we want, and everybody is happy.”

Vanya sighed, knowing that she won't like what she had to do to see her family again. “Fine, what do you want?”


	2. Chapter 2

Placing her knight beside her younger sister’s bishop, Vanya snatched her chess piece from the board and placed it inside a box. Katrina could only let her lips curve upwards as she moved her queen forward, sacrificing her knight. “Should have seen that coming.”

Vanya breathed deeply as she stared at the chessboard, contemplating her next plan. Unlike her, Katrina wasn’t so proficient in the game of chess, as she was often defeated by her two older sisters, especially Vasilia. As the oldest in the Doyvesky clan, Vasilia was not only the smartest in the family but also wise, as she often found a compromise in conflicts within the family.

Vanya, on the other hand, was not as tremendous as Vasilia, but better than both Katrina and Irina, who were the baby in the family. Though Katrina made a good move against her, the former Jedi Master had a backup plan, in case things went wrong. Moving her sixth pawn one step forward, she rested her head on her palms, looking at her sister. 

Katrina propelled her queen a step forward, making Vanya bob her head. The latter moved her sixth pawn, pushing the opposing piece away from the game. Eyeing her bishop, Vanya hoped that her sister would be foolish enough to let her queen kill her pawn, as a way to capture the most powerful piece in chess.

According to her mother, the queen was the strongest and the most useful in the game of chess. Without it, the player would be more vulnerable to their opponents and more likely to lose the game within seconds. That was the most important lesson Vanya learned when she first played before she was shipped away to Coruscant for her Jedi training.

Noticing Katrina’s playful smirk, Vanya scoffed to herself when she moved her queen diagonally, placing it above her king, the weakest piece in chess. She couldn’t believe it. Vanya was certain that she was going to beat her sister and win the game. She anticipated every movement Katrina would make, ensuring the former her victory. She blinked back her eyes and wondered whether she was trapped in a dream, where she never woke up.

“Checkmate,” Katrina declared. “I beat you, Vanya. I finally topped you, after all those years of losing against you.”

_ This isn’t fair, _ Vanya thought, tightening her lips.  _ How did I lose against someone who barely knows how to shoot at the right target? That can’t be possible. _

“I won, Vanya,” she chuckled, waving her hands at her older sister’s face, trying to grab her attention. “I triumphed in the game of chess. I beat you, fair and square.”

“I don’t believe it,” muttered Vanya, her face frozen. “I lost to you.”

“Yeah, you lose, so what?” Katrina lifted her shoulders. “It’s just a game anyway. It’s not like you’re playing in a competition or something.”

She only gave a solemn nod as she got up from her seat, giving her hand. “Your skills have improved,” Vanya forced a smile. “I am proud of you.”

Katrina grinned as she shook her sister’s hands. “You did well too, Vanya. It was a good game, and I had a lot of fun playing chess with you.”

“Tell me, how did you improve anyways?” wondered Vanya, breaking the handshake. “Last time we played together, you were checkmated in just three minutes but my oh my, how the tables are turned.”

“Do you really want to know the truth, Vanya?” she raised her eyebrows.

“Well, I would like to learn from the champion, of course. As my old master once said, the best way to win is to understand your opponents, and that is exactly what I am doing right now.”

“To be fair, I didn’t play to win,” Katrina revealed the truth. “I only participate in the game just to learn from you, and from what I’ve gathered so far, you were full of yourself.”

Vanya scoffed, before feeling goosebumps sprouting on her skin. “How did you know that?”

“It's obvious,” shrugged Katrina. “Look, I may not be a Jedi or have this Force power you have but from your facial expression alone, it was crystal clear.”

“How so?” Vanya crossed her arms.

“You don't realize it but whenever you're cocky, you're always playing with your fingers, and I merely took advantage of it.”

“I do?” she gasped, her eyes widened.

“Yeah, you do, Vanya,” Katrina chuckled. “You just don't realize it, that's all.”

Blinking her eyes, she nibbled her fingers as she glanced at Katrina, wondering how long she had been doing this. Obi-Wan never mentioned her bad habits, and neither did Lira. But yet, Vanya recalled when she and her master would play the same game together and what he told her when she was beaten.

“You play with your fingers when you think you'll win,” she recalled, making her gleam. She never realised it, but when her master pointed them out, Vanya would be shocked, before forgetting about it over and over again. As her mother would say, old habits die hard.

“Vanya,” Katrina called her name. “Are you alright?”

She nodded, before snickering softly at her. “Yes, I am here. It's just that no one, except for my master and you, actually pointed out one of the worst habits I've had since I was younger.”

“Really?” the second youngest Doves laughed along. “Not even Mama and Papa know about you playing with your fingers all the time?”

“Nope, they did not,” Vanya shook her head, continuing to laugh. “Usually, they notice when I'm not my usual self. As for my habits, however, they only point to my face and seem more intimidating and fierce to everyone I meet.”

“Oh yeah, you've got Mama's resting face. It's a thing in our family, apparently.”

“And so do you, but yours aren't as noticeable as mine, so you're lucky.”

“Right,” Katrina rolled her eyes. “Doesn't stop some guys and girls from walking away from me anyways.”

“Well, maybe they thought you were so good-looking that they were too scared to ask you out,” she teased, nudging her shoulder.

“Vanya, you're the prettiest in the family,” praised Katrina. “You are so gorgeous that people slow down just to admire you from a distance.”

“Oh, shut up,” Vanya playfully shoved her sister aside as she walked out of the tent, gazing at the lush, green jungle and the yellowish sky. 

It was a different view from what she was used to on Coruscant, not that she's complaining. Unlike the concrete floor, she found herself on moist dirt, along with the ferns and fungus that spread all the way to the trees. “It's peaceful here,” she complimented. “If I lived here, I would have never left the planet in the first place.”

“But what about Mandalore?” Katrina asked, sitting on a small rock. “Isn't that where we were born and raised?”

“Mandalore was always plagued with war. Bombs, shootings, looting, that's how it was before Satine decided that pacifism was a good idea.”

“Don't say that,” she hushed her. “We don't give a wrong idea to Vizsla that we're against him, and Maul too.”

“Are we, though?” doubted Vanya. “Especially when both leaders are going to betray each other eventually?”

“You can't just assume that.”

“Oh, but I overheard their whispers, and it's not a good kind.”

Katrina's brows furrowed. “If what you're saying is true, then what can we do about it? How do we choose who we fight for?”

That was a good question. Vanya knows that Vizsla and Bo would betray Maul and Savage once he took over Mandalore, but she was aware that Maul and Savage had other plans as well. So far, she did what Maul asked by poisoning Palpatine with a cherry tart in exchange for her to be with her family again and take back her homeworld from the colonizers.

And she's grateful that she gets to spend more time with her parents and her three sisters, Vasilia, Katrina, and Maria. But knowing that things will go wrong, Vanya doesn't know who to trust. The Death Watch was the reason why they were here in the first place, but Maul was the one who convinced her to fight for her warrior heritage in the first place.  _ What should I do?  _

Then, she thought about Vasilia, who was discussing with Vizsla and Maul about the attack on Mandalore in the briefing room. “We'll have to discuss this with Vasilia then. She’ll know what to do.”


	3. Chapter 3

Walking inside the tent, Vanya approached her older sister, Vasilia, who was standing behind Pre Vizsla. The latter noticed her presence and gestured her to focus on the holo, which showed a visual of a large dome, where Mandalorians grew up. “Vas, we need to talk,” she whispered. “This is really important.”

“Not now, Vanya,” Vasilia whispered back. “We’re in the middle of planning a crucial attack on Mandalore.”

Groaning to herself, she was left with no other choice but to listen to Maul and Vizsla. _I guess family meetings can wait a little longer then._

The Zabrak placed his fingers beneath his chin as he glanced at the holotable, before shifting his focus at Vizsla. “Where are my targets?” Maul asked.

“We’ve identified them at these locations,” the bald man answered, marking them with red dots. “However, as I’ve said before, if we try to take Mandalore by force, our people will turn against us.”

“I will use my army of crime lords to attack different targets across Sundari and sow chaos to undermine the Duchess's rule,” he suggested. “Our gangsters will make her look too weak to maintain control. Then you and your Death Watch will capture and arrest us, bringing order where Satine's weak government could not.”

Vizsla’s lips curved upwards, realising where Maul was coming from. “We'll be saviors.”

“Exactly.”

“A good plan,” Vizsla praised him, before glancing at Bo-Katan, who was his second-in-command. 

“Indeed,” Bo agreed. “I’ll prepare the troops.” 

Vanya watched her leave the tent, with Vizsla following her from behind. Taking a deep breath, she excused herself for some fresh air when she noticed the both of them confiding with each other, while wary if there’s anyone listening to their conversation. 

“It’s a risk to trust those monsters,” warned Bo. “How do we know they'll keep their end of the bargain?”

“We need those Sith and their thugs to cause some pain and show the Mandalorian people how weak Satine really is,” Vizsla argued. “After this is done, no one will doubt why we’re in power. Most will welcome us.”

“Then what?” 

“Then we execute Maul and those thugs,” he said. “Those criminals will scatter, and Mandalore will be ours.”

Letting out a silent gasp, Vanya scurried away, assuming that she was spotted. _So that’s where their partnership between them will end,_ she guessed, her heart palpitating. _Now I really need to talk to Vas about this._

She stepped inside her family tent and found her older sister seated with both Katrina and Maria, peering at her, as if they were waiting for her. “Ladies, I need to talk to you,” she urged as she turned around, making sure she wasn’t being pursued by her fellow Death Watch member. “This is really important.”

“I know, which is why I gathered all of us here,” Vasilia raised her eyebrows, inviting her sister to sit down. “What is so urgent that you called for a family meeting in the first place?”

“It’s about the attack on Vizsla and Maul,” she revealed. “They’re both planning to turn against each other once we took over Mandalore.”

Vasilia nodded, crossing her arms. “Well, you’re not the only one who knows about this, vod’ika.”

“What do you mean I’m not the only one who knows about this?”

“I overheard Maul and his brother after the meeting ended,” she confided. “They figured that Vizsla will betray them and that they will find a new ruler of Mandalore once he takes the throne.”

“Of course he did,” Katrina scoffed. “Why am I not even surprised by this revelation?”

“Because it’s obvious,” Maria shrugged. “I mean, both these men wanted power so badly that when there’s an opportunity to betray each other, they won’t hesitate to do it. As Vas said, Vizsla dreamed to be Manda’lor while Maul wants to rule the underworld.”

“In short, they’re just plain greedy,” Vanya concluded. “But when that happens, then what about us? Which side do we serve?”

“Honestly Vanya, both are terrible,” Vasilia admitted. “Death Watch looks like they value Mandalorian culture, but only when it applies to war. I mean, they literally wiped out an entire village on Carlac and bragged about it. That’s not the Mandalorian way I learned from Mama and Papa.”

“Not to mention that they used a guy as a scapegoat for the bombing on Sundari,” Maria recalled. “Like, people almost died that day.”

“Yeah, my Jedi friend told me about that,” Vanya remembered. “The Duchess was scared to death because of the attack.”

“It was a terrible day for all of us Mandalorians,” Katrina sighed sadly, before turning to Vasilia. “Also, just wondering, but if you know what Death Watch did was wrong, then why did you join them in the first place?”

Vanya and Maria gave an uncertain stare, making her submit. “Okay, let me give you a rational explanation on why I joined Death Watch in the first place.”

“It’s not just you though,” Maria pointed out. “You persuaded the entire clan to join their cause, but do explain why you got them involved in the first place.”

Vasilia took a deep breath as she closed her eyes for a moment and began. “I only joined because they believed that they wanted to take back our warrior heritage that we’ve been denied for so long under the Duchess’s rules. Vanya, you weren’t there when Satine and the New Mandalorian took over the planet, but I can tell you that everything changed after that.”

She paused as she held back her tears, before continuing her words. “We were forced to give up our armour, our weapons, and whatever that reminds them of Old Mandalorian. Mama and Papa were reluctant, so they told us to hide everything in a secret compartment and only use them when we’re inside the house.”

“But one day, the authorities showed up at our house. They wanted to inspect the entire house for safety purposes, so Mama and Papa had no other choice but to go along with it while I was told to hide them in the usual place. Unfortunately, we got caught and the authorities ended up confiscating both our weapons and our armour. Papa wouldn't budge, so he pleaded with them to give them back, promising them that we won't use it at all.”

“But do you know what they did to him instead?”

Vanya shook her head, knowing that it'll get worse. “I don't like where this is going.”

“They pushed him on the coffee table right in front of us and left,” snarled Vasilia, clenching her fist. “Mama screamed when she saw blood in his forehead. He ended up with a few stitches after that.”

Rubbing her older sister's back, Vanya leaned closer and wrapped her arms around Vasilia as she wiped her tears. “I'm really sorry you had to see that, vod. It was horrible for those officers to hurt our own father, and took away whatever was left of our culture.”

“I thought I was doing the right thing for Death Watch, but I was wrong. They are just as rotten as Satine's New Mandalorian. The only difference is that one wanted peace while the other craved for violence.”

“But what about Maul?” Katrina wondered. “How atrocious is he compared to Vizsla?”

“He got his brother to behead the Black Sun High Council after they refused to join him, and also the Hutts Clans as well.”

“Okay, so we have to choose between a power-hungry maniac and a bloodthirsty warrior who's obsessed with revenge,” Maria deadpanned. “Pretty good choices, if you ask me.”

Vanya rolled her eyes. “Now it's not a good time for sarcasm. We need to think of a plan where we won't be affected by Maul and Vizsla betraying each other.”

“I have an idea,” Katrina raised her hands. “But you guys won't like it though.”

“What is it, Kat?” Vasilia asked, rubbing between her temples.

“How about we just go along with the plan that both Vizsla and Maul agreed on and from there, we'll see how it goes.”

“I say that it's a stupid plan,” Maria commented. “I mean seriously, you want to wait till the last minute before we decide which leader is better? Well, hell no!”

“I don't like it either, but we really don't have much of a choice,” grumbled Vanya. “If we don't go along with the plan, they'll have our heads, or worse.”

“Vanya is right,” Vasiliy supported. “The only thing we can do so far is to wait. We can't let Death Watch or Maul suspect us of betraying them. If we act now, it will be disastrous not only for us but for Clan Doyvesky as well.”

“I understand, vod,” Katrina nodded when she heard footsteps approaching their tent, making us shudder. “Quick, someone's coming.”

All four sisters panicked as they put on their helmets and walked out of the tent, facing Pre Vizsla and Bo-Katan. “My Lord,” Vasilia gave him a respectful bow. “Are we ready to depart right now?”

“Are your soldiers ready, Doyvesky?” he questioned, in an intimidating manner.

“They're ready as they can ever be, My Lord,” she stuttered, hiding her shaking hands behind her.

“Good,” Bo said, pointing at their ship. “Now hurry. We don't have much time left.”

“Yes, ma'am,” Vanya acknowledged, sensing their wariness harboured towards her and her sisters.


	4. Chapter 4

“Send help,” Vasilia heard one of the Mandalorian guards pleading through his comlink. “The shipping docks are under attack by the Pyke Syndicate. I repeat, the shipping docks are under attack by the Pyke Syndicates.”

Her blood ran cold as she listened to the man screaming for his life, before hearing the frequency grow weaker. She wished she didn’t hear it and yet, Vizsla instructed her to do so that she knows her cue to fly into the Mandalorian atmosphere. 

These were only the first steps to gaining control of Mandalore. Get a bunch of criminals to terrorise the people, which leaves them no other choice but to ask for Death Watch’s help to stop them just to be seen as lords and saviours. Once they’re done, they get to overthrow Mandalore and retake the planet, with the people’s support.

It’s easy enough to execute it if only Vasilia doesn’t have a tinge of guilt growing inside her. Satine’s pacifistic government may be flawed to her, but at least she and her clan get to live in peace. 

Before Clan Doyvesky were warriors, they were farmers. According to Papa, they used to own a large piece of land, where they grew tapioca and cotton. There were trees and lush groves on the surface of Mandalore along with the gentle rivers that were used as a primary source of water and transportation. But that all changed when war raged across Mandalore, destroying their crops and lands in the process.

The Doyveskys had no other choice but to abandon their ways and armed themselves with weapons, fighting from one clan to another, until Mandalore was stripped of its greenery, forcing them to live in a domed city that protects them from the harsh weather outside. 

Vasilia was there when the Old Mandalorian traditionalists were fighting the New Mandalorian, who were sick and tired of the constant war surrounding them. She understood how often she had to hear blasters fired outside her house and how much it took a toll on her and her family, who wondered when their people would stop battling.

Changing frequencies on her radio headset, Vasilia prepares herself to hear another horrible news, this time from Peace Park. “The Black Sun has attacked Peace Park,” a policeman said. “We need more reinforcements. We are being outmatched by those gangsters.”

Her eyes widened. Peace Park was where Vasilia used to frequent when she was younger. She remembered the cherry bonsai growing in a large pot, where she would try to pluck its flowers before her parents would stop her. The screams of innocent people in the park petrified her, wishing that all of them were spared from the ceasefire that was started by selfish individuals who only cared for power.

Glancing at Vizsla and Bo, who were listening to the radio as well, she wondered whether they had a heart and if they do, how they feel when civilians are scared for their lives just because of their excessive pride and greed inside them. She thought whether they do care about the people they are about to rule over after the chaos that is spread across Sundari. She wondered whether her parents, her husband and her children are safe and sound in their homes.

_ Estella, Marsha, and Sergei,  _ Vasilia thought.  _ Are you alright, adi’ka? Are you at home playing with your father and your grandparents, ignoring the chaos outside your home? I’ll be home as soon as possible, and that is a promise. _

“Change to the next frequency,” Vizsla ordered. “We’ll be coming in after this.”

Vasilia did what she was told, only to regret it instantly. “The Black Sun is attacking the vaults. Send reinforcements.”

Hearing the laughter of the Pyke Syndicate’s leader, Lom Pyke, she closed her eyes as a lightsaber whooshed and slashed in the background, accompanied by the guards groaning in pain. She felt her wet tears underneath her helmet as memories of her father’s forehead flashed on her mind. 

_ That poor man,  _ cried Vasilia.  _ How would his family react when their father or brother got killed while defending the bank from those lowly gangsters? _

Vizsla and Bo exchanged a brief glance at each other before gesturing towards her. “The Duchess has gathered all her people at the Plaza,” said Bo. “We should get going.”

“Yes, sir,” she answered as she got up from her seat, composing herself to combat mode. As the three of them jumped off the ship, Vasilia activated her jetpack behind her and flew, before diving into the domed city. She forgot how Mandalorian air was like after being away from the planet for so long and how Sundari was.

The crowd clamoured as they gathered in the plaza, glancing at their Duchess, who stood all the way on the podium, calming her angry and frightened citizens. “I need you all to remain calm,” Satine reassured her people, waving her hands. “These attackers are just thugs, brought on by the lowest element.”

“I'm not gonna take this,” a heavily-bearded man echoed, whom Vasilia recognised as her Papa. She wondered how he was doing, after being separated from him for a while.  _ I hope Papa remembered to take his medicine. _

“The Duchess Satine has led us to ruin!” Vizsla declared as he hovered in front of Satine along with Bo and Vasilia, causing her guards to point their staff in their direction.

“Death Watch!” gasped Satine, before turning to her guards. “Guards, stay back! Vizsla, you must be the one responsible for these attacks!”

“No, I am not responsible!” he denied. “But I can offer a solution.”

Landing on the podium, he took off his helmet and faced the large audience. “People of Mandalore,” addressed Vizsla. I am Pre Vizsla of Clan Vizsla. Death Watch is here to save you from these intergalactic gangsters that threaten our great city. This is a war, and we will win.”

The crowd cheered in unison as Vizsla continued his speech. “Join me and let us defend Mandalore against the criminals. We need action, not pacifism.”

“Do not listen to him!” argued Satine, pointing at the Death Watch leader. “His war will cause the end of Mandalore as we know it!”

“We are under attack!” countered Vizsla. “There is no time for discussion!”

The people of Mandalore talked indistinctly among each other, agreeing with what he told them. “The name ‘Mandalore’ should set fear into the hearts of these gangsters.”

As the crowd hollered, Satine could only frown as Vizsla, Bo, and Vasilia flew into the atmosphere, boarding their ship. Receiving an incoming transmission from Maul, he answered as he took off his helmet. “If the people are beginning to follow you, it is time for Death Watch to take action,” directed the Sith Lord. “Make sure you put on a good show.”

“As you wish, Lord Maul,” bowed Vizsla, as he cut off their comlink. Vasilia could only watch as she felt her gut twisted, with sweat pouring from her forehead. Those criminals attacked her home because of her complicit nature with Death Watch. How would she explain to her parents that she was part of the terrorism on Mandalore to her parents? What would her husband and children say when they realise that she was part of an organisation that murdered innocent people, including women and children?

_ Should I just back down and return to my family again, or should I just stay for the best of my sisters?  _ she pondered. 

Noticing her quiet demeanor, Vizsla and Bo stared at her, before one of them broke the awkward silence between them. “Tell your sisters and your army to get ready for a fight,” ordered Bo. “We need to put on a good performance for our people.”

“Yes, ma’am,” Vasilia nodded as she headed out of the cockpit, before eyeing them from behind. Her hands shook as she let out a heavy breath.

“Is everything alright, soldier?” Viszla questioned, one of his eyebrows raised. “You seem tense.”

“I’m alright, sir,” Vasilia lied as she turned to him. “I’ll prepare my troops.”

“Of course, Vas. After all, time is ticking.”

“Yes, sir,” she bobbed her head as she closed the door behind her and took off her helmet, bursting into tears.


	5. Chapter 5

Stuck inside the shipping container, the protocol droid turned to the guard, who was only standing there, staring at the door. “What should we do?” 

“There's nothing we can do,” he relented. “The Duchess's forces are being overrun across the entire planet.”

Before he could sit down, he heard weapons firing against each other. “Listen,” the guard gasped. “It sounds like there is fighting going on out there.”

Unbeknownst to him, Vasilia, Vanya, Katrina, and Maria were fighting the thugs with their bare arms and blasters, making sure that the criminals were spared, as instructed by Vizsla. “Take that, you motherfucker,” Maria cussed as she punched a member of the Pykes with her fist.

Vasilia could only roll her eyes as she stunned the other guy, leaving them on the ground. “Put them in handcuffs,” she instructed, as she approached the shipping container. “We’ll take them to the ship after this.”

“Yes, Vas,” Vanya nodded, as she did what she was told.

Approaching the shipping container, the older Doyvesky sister unlocked it and found the guards and the protocol droid that was trapped inside by the Pykes Syndicate. “What's going on?” he exclaimed, facing her in a confused manner. 

“We're Death Watch, and we're here to rescue you,” declared Vasilia, letting them out. 

“You have my thanks, soldier,” said the guard, placing his hands on his chest as a sign of respect and gratefulness.

“No, thank Pre Vizsla,” she muttered, before gesturing to her sisters to leave the docks. “Looks like our work here is done.”

“Really?” Maria asked. “I wasn’t expecting the fun to end so quickly.”

“I agree,” Katrina nodded. “To be honest with you, this is too easy for us.”

“Of course it is,” Vanya rolled her eyes underneath her helmet. “This was meant to be fa-”

“Zip it, Vanya,” Vasilia shushed her as she looked left and right. “We’re not supposed to say that in front of people, or our plan to take over Mandalore will be foiled.”

“You mean Vizsla and Maul’s plan?” the former Jedi master corrected her. “You don’t even have a say in them. The only thing you do in Death Watch is obeying orders or get yourself killed, that’s all.”

Before Vasilia could say anything, she heard cheers from the surrounding people, who witnessed their so-called heroic deeds against the thugs. “It’s Death Watch,” one of them cried.

“Death Watch are our saviours,” another man claimed. “They saved our lives.”

Katrina and Maria smiled as they waved at the crowds, flattered by the attention they’re receiving. “Thank you, thank you,” Maria said, showing them the peace sign. “I’m honoured to protect my home from dangerous criminals.”

On the other hand, Vasilia and Vanya exchanged a brief glance as they shielded their helmets from the unwelcoming crowd. She could sense her sister’s distress within the Force, prompting her to grab both her younger sister’s hands. “We should get going,” she told them. “We can’t stay here any longer.”

“Fine,” Katrina responded, noticing Vasilia’s hands trembling. 

With the criminals within their grasps, all four sisters flew back into the ship, greeted by Darth Maul, who was waiting for them. Vasilia hid her hands behind her back as Vanya cleared her throat, standing in a stiff manner. “We’re done with our mission,” she informed, taking off her helmet. “Where’s Vizsla and Bo?”

“Still fighting our army,” Maul answered, before shifting his focus to her older sister, sensing her uncertainty. “I presumed the mission went well?”

“Yes, my Lord,” Vasilia bobbed her head, releasing them from their cuffs. “We managed to ‘capture’ these criminals and saved the guards at the shipping docks. We were thanked for our service to Mandalore.”

“Good,” he praised. “For now, we’ll wait for the others to return. You are dismissed.”

“Thank you, my Lord,” Vanya bowed, dragging her sisters into the secluded corridor of the ship, making sure there was no one around. “Looks like the coast is clear.”

“Oh, thank the Maker,” Vasilia breathed in relief, removing her helmet as well as Katrina and Maria. “Goodness, Maul scared me to death.”

“Tell me about it,” Maria said. “He almost made me shit my pants.”

“I don’t think I want to hear about that,” gagged Katrina, much to her dismay. “Besides, we’ve done the jobs that were given to us, so now we’ll have to wait and see.”

“But I don’t feel good doing this,” Vasilia wrapped her arms around herself. “Sure, we saved those guards in the docks, except the attack was engineered by us.”

“But you didn’t plan it at all,” Vanya assured her, rubbing her shoulder. “You were just doing what you were told, that’s all.”

“Yeah, but it still feels wrong. I have a lot of opportunities to do the right thing and leave but instead, I’m acting like a big coward. Then again, I am the coward in the family.”

“Vas, you are not a coward,” she told her. “You stood for me more than once when I was mistreated more than three times. Heck, you even walked away from your first boyfriend when he emotionally manipulated you. I thought that was the bravest thing you’ve ever done in your life.”

“Oh yeah?” gleamed Vasilia. “I could say the same for all of you here, especially you, Vanya. You have the balls to kill Chancellor Palpatine of the Galactic Republic. I mean, who would do such a thing?”

“In my defence, he was the Sith Lord who manipulated both the Galactic Republic and the Separatist Alliance just to gain more power.”

“Really?” Maria blurted. “Who told you that?”

“Maul did. He was Palpatine’s apprentice and was trained by him when he was young. He knew his master’s plan to destroy both the Jedi and the Republic from the beginning to the end.”

“Wait, Maul knew everything Palpatine was doing to destroy the Republic?” Katrina wondered. “If that’s the case, then why didn’t the Jedi sense him when he’s standing right in front of them?”

“Because Palpatine allowed the Jedi to be blinded with their own arrogance,” Vanya replied. “That was the reason he created the Clone Wars in the first place. To distract us from what’s actually going on behind the scenes.”

For a moment, all three sisters blinked as if they’re trying to process everything Vanya had said to them before Maria broke the silence. “You know, I have to admit, Palpatine's plans to destroy the Jedi was actually pretty good.”

“Maria!” Vasilia slapped the back of her head, making her exclaim in pain. 

“What the hell did I say? It's true though.”

“Yeah, but-”

“No, Maria is right,” Vanya supported her. “He's a goddamn chessmaster, though I feel terrible that the people of the Republic had to pay the price instead.”

“But you eliminated the real villain though,” Katrina conveyed. “It could have been worse had Palpatine been spared.”

“However, many people on Coruscant, especially women and children, got killed when I revealed the truth about their leader's death. Not to mention that I betrayed my own friends, Obi-Wan. He was my best friend, and I stabbed him in the back, without him knowing it.”

Maria tightened her lips and stared at the floor as Vanya leaned on Vasilia's shoulders. There were no heroes in this fight for Mandalore, only villains, and they are part of it, regardless of whether they were only following orders. She clenched her fist as she stared at a photograph of her family on her datapad. 

_ Hey Mama, hey Papa, _ she said to herself.  _ I hope I get to see you again. I miss you all so much. It feels cold and empty without your presence. _

She remembered the last time when they were all together at home. Vasilia was cuddling with her husband as she watched her and Katrina playing with Estella, Marsha, and Sergei, who were growing so fast. Vanya, on the other hand, was chewing on her spicy pepperoni pizza as she was having a lovely conversation with Mama and Papa, since she had just returned from a battle.

Speaking of pizza, it’s been a while since Maria enjoyed her slice of pizza. The only meal she could enjoy was a bowl of broth, and she’s sick of having another meal that is available for Death Watch. She wondered whether it would be a good idea to have a slice of pizza after this. “Hey guys,” Maria grabbed their attention. “Is anyone up for pizza after this?”

“Seriously?” Katrina groaned. “Now it’s not a good time for pizza.”

“I meant after this is done,” she corrected herself. “When we take over Mandalore, you know, we could go to Mama and Papa and order a few boxes of pizza to cheer up.”

“I’m not so sure about that, Maria,” Vasilia doubted. “We might need to stay in the palace a little longer before Vizsla would let us go.”

“But we never had pizza in a while, and see Mama and Papa as well,” Maria pleaded, her hands clasped together. “Vanya, don’t you want to spend time with Mama and Papa? I know you miss them very much.”

“Well…”

“And Vas, don’t you want to see Alejandro, Estella, Marsha, and Sergei again? I know how much they meant the world to you.”

“To be honest with you…”

“We’ve been away from home for too long,” complained Maria. “I’m just sick of being separated from our family, really. Can we please, please go home and have pizza? I just miss the good old days when we don’t have to fight people.”

Vasilia, Vanya, and Katrina looked at each other, before nodding their heads. “Alright, we’ll be home with a box of pizza after we’re done, okay?” Vanya said. “And that is a promise.”

“Oh my gosh, thank you so much,” she squealed, hugging all three of them. “You guys are the best sister ever.”

Vasilia hugged back when she heard her comlink beeping on her wrist, prompting her to put on her helmet. “Well, looks like Vizsla and Bo are done. We should get going.”

“And then we get pizza and see Mama and Papa?”

“Yes, Maria,” Vanya laughed. “Now put on your helmet and let’s go. We don’t have all day.”


	6. Chapter 6

As Satine sat on her throne with a frown on her face, she could hear Vizsla's name echoing throughout her palace. Her disappointment ran deep as her vision for a peaceful Mandalore had finally shattered into pieces.  _ Is this how Mandalore dies?  _ she thought.  _ By allowing violence to thrive? _

“Vizsla! Vizsla! Vizsla! Vizsla!” the people of Mandalore chanted aloud. 

She sighed as one of her aides addressed her, bowing in respect. “Duchess, Pre Vizsla and his men have entered the palace,” he informed her. “Should we stop them?”

“How can we?” she relented. “The people are on their side now.”

The sliding door hissed, revealing Vizsla, Bo-Katan, and Vasilia, facing the Duchess with pride, except for the third one, who was hiding her guilt and shame beneath her helmet. The guards pointed their pikes towards them in defense, but Satine stopped them before more harm could be done. “No, there will be no bloodshed.”

“But Duchess!” the prime minister protested.

“I will not be provoked to violence by these terrorists,” she affirmed, raising her hands. 

“Listen, Duchess,” Vizsla pointed out the echoing voices outside the palace. “Do you hear the people? They cry out for change. Your weak-minded rule of Mandalore is at an end. The resurrection of our warrior past is about to begin.”

Vasilia could only sigh as she stood on the podium behind the current leader of Mandalore, her eyes focused on the crowd, who were cheering blindly for their new saviours. Among the crowds, she noticed her parents standing there, clapping along as well. 

Mama, who had jet black hair and brown, almond eyes as Vanya and Katrina, locked elbows with her husband, who had dark blond hair and blue eyes, just like Vasilia and Maria. Noticing their eldest child staring at them, the loving couple smiled and waved at her.

Vasilia waved back, blowing them a kiss. Whether she was successful or a failure in life, Mama and Papa always supported Vasilia and her younger sisters, doting on every single one of them. She wished she would be happy for her achievement, but instead, dread consumed her as her focus shifted on Bo-Katan, who was addressing the whole citizen.

“Duchess Satine and the New Mandalorian leaders have fled in cowardice while the Death Watch brought these criminals to justice,” the red-headed woman declared, before turning to Pre Vizsla, who had Savage Opress and the leaders of both Black Sun and Pyke Syndicate Inc chains. “Your new prime minister, Pre Vizsla, leader of Death Watch, exiled governor of Concordia, the true son of Mandalore, presents you with the lords of the most feared crime families in the galaxy.”

“Vizsla, Vizsla, Vizsla, Vizsla,” the crowd roared, making his smile bigger. After years of struggling to return to their old warrior roots, he has finally made it on top. Everything he ever wanted, he has earned it with his own pride and ego, at a cost of innocent lives along the way.

But that was just a small price he had to pay, and it wasn't a big deal for him. Vasilia, on the other hand, couldn't wait any longer to get this over with so that she could check on her sisters, who were waiting for her inside the palace. They wanted to see Mama and Papa and enjoy their box of pizza so badly that she would sprint herself out of here just to fulfill her promise that she made with the

* * *

Trapped inside her tight, cubicle cell, the former could only bang on the glass window as she looked at the Death Watch guards, who were now in charge of her home planet. “You cannot hold me here! I am the Duchess of Mandalore!” she warned them. “Your actions will bring our civilization to ruin!”

“Is that you, Satine?” she heard a familiar voice, prompting her to look at the prisoner beside her cell. 

“Almec?” she recognised the old man with a long face, who once served in her administration.

“Here for a visit? Or has peace betrayed you, too, Duchess?” he asked, in a sarcastic tone. 

“Peace exists only in the minds of the faithful,” Satine sighed, closing her eyes.

“And faith has been the greatest disappointment.”

Only when it is broken,” she argued, turning to him. “What you did for the people as prime minister betrayed their trust.”

And you betrayed mine,” Almec fought back. “Destitution leaves little room for faith. My actions allowed the people hope in your leadership. The supplies I bought on the black market kept you in power.”

‘Another error of judgment,” Satine shook her head, expressing her disappointment towards the leader that was elected by the people who put their trust in him to perform his responsibilities. “The people made willing sacrifices for their freedom. Corruption is not the answer.”

Almec let out a sardonic laugh, as he rested his hands behind his head, leaning against the blank wall. “Then enjoy your freedom, Duchess. You'll have plenty of time to tell me all about it.”

Satine could do nothing but weep, realizing that the peaceful Mandalore that she had built from the ashes had already perished. Her people already stopped believing in pacifism the moment Death Watch decided to hire those lowlifes to wreak havoc on her home, hoping to resurrect the violence in Mandalorian traditions.

She remembered the time when she and her younger sister would hide underneath the bunkers whenever the air raid sirens went off throughout the city on Kalevala. Hearing those sirens, again and again, made her shiver as they sounded as if the dead were wailing in the air, followed by the bombings spreading across the city.

Satine and sister would lean closer towards the parents as turmoil and rampage ensued outside their homes, wondering when it would end. Her eyes and cheeks were soaked as she would beg for a peaceful night, where she could sleep without worrying about Death knocking on her door. 

Sometimes, she had occasional nightmares where she was trapped underneath a burning building and was unable to breathe or escape at all. Ever since she had to shelter herself inside a war bunker, Satine would avoid small, tight spaces at all cost, to the point of taking the stairs rather than using the lift to get to another floor of her palace.

Many nights of air raids and bombings made her despise the warrior culture among Mandalorians, along with the wars and the damage that was left by them everywhere they go. The smell of burning flesh, schools that were destroyed by the air raids, and corpses piling up in the city square, was part of her childhood, which pushed her to end this nightmare that she endured when she was younger.


	7. Chapter 7

As the trio entered the palace, Vasilia saw her sisters waiting for her as Maul approached them, with his hands behind him. Vizsla took off his helmet as he faced the Sith Lord, breaking the news to him. “The transition of power will be seamless,’ he said with dignity. “We now have the support of the people, and Satine to bait Kenobi. With his demise, our deal will be complete.”

“Your oversight requires correction,” Maul stated, disapproving of Vizsla’s plan, recognising the flaws in it. “We now have a base, an army, and the means to expand to other neutral systems.”

Vizsla laughed softly to himself, before shifting his focus to him. “It wasn't an oversight, it was intentional,” he revealed his plans against him. I don't have an interest in other systems. Your vision no longer matters.”

Vasilia let out a soft gasp as the bell tolled in the palace, before she and Bo cuffed his arms behind him, making Maul glare deathly at Vizsla. “Oh, don’t fret,” Vizsla casually brushes off, as he sat on his throne that he usurped from the Duchess. “Kenobi will be dealt with but now, you'll do as I say.”

Standing across the room, Vanya, Katrina, and Maria whispered among one another, anticipating Vizsla’s betrayal against Maul. Vanya knew that it would happen at some point, she just didn’t realize it would be that soon. But she wasn’t aware of the two-thousand neutral systems that Satine was in charge of.

“You know, I was expecting a showdown between the both of them,” Maria murmured. “I didn’t think that he would spare the Sith Lord.”

“You could say that again,” Vanya agreed with her sister’s words. “I thought Vizsla was going to kill Maul and his brother after they took over Mandalore.”

“I may not be a Jedi, but I have a bad feeling about this,” Katrina expressed her uneasiness, as she watched them escort Maul out of the palace, displaying his captive like a trophy.

“The violence is over!” he declared. “The last of the parasites infecting Mandalore has been caught. The Duchess has abandoned her duty to protect Mandalore. Her political dream only encourages aggression against our planet.”

Pulling Maul’s horns, the Zabrak let out a grunt as Vizsla continued to boast in his speech. “We have learned from this beast the consequences of pacifist principles,” he pointed out. “It's now time to restore the traditions of Mandalore! No one will ever threaten us again!”

Vasilia heard the people chant his name repeatedly as they praised their new liberator for ending the violence that erupted in Mandalore, much to her dismay.  _ If only they knew what was going on behind the curtains,  _ she thought, watching them praise Vizsla like a bunch of sheep. 

“He is the hero we need,” one man claimed. “And yet, we don’t deserve you.”

“We love you, Pre Vizsla,” another man shouted at the podium. “We will forever be grateful for fighting for us.”

Vizsla smiled at those commendations that were showered on him as Vasilia cringed, her fingers fidgeting. Bo turned to her and noticed her unusual posture, prompting her to ask. “Are you alright, soldier?”

“I’m alright, sir,” Vasilia cleared her throat, stopping herself from shaking. “I just don’t like standing in front of the crowd, that’s all.”

“Really?” she tilted her head sideways. “You know, if you’re willing to stay behind after this, Vizsla and I could get you all sorted out if that’s okay with you.”

Her eyes widened behind her helmet, and her heart was pounding. “That’s very kind of you, but I’ll be fine,” she uttered. “Thanks for your offer, though. I really appreciate it.”

“Oh, I’m not suggesting you meet me and Vizsla after this,” Bo reaffirmed her words. “I’m ordering you to stay a little longer for a meeting with Vizsla and me, along with Death Watch as well.”

“But what about my sisters?” Vasilia brought up, unable to swallow her saliva down her throat. “I made a promise to them that they’ll be seeing our family again. I can’t keep them waiting in the palace any longer.”

“You’ve made a promise to Death Watch that you will fulfill your duty,” she asserted her authority against her. “So you will be seeing me and Vizsla once this is over. Do you understand, soldier?”

“Yes, ma’am,” she resigned as her heart sank, wondering whether she would make it back home on time.

As he finished waving at his new subjects, Vizsla, signalled to his latchkeys, including Bo and Vasilia to follow him back to the throne room, where he finally sat down. She watched Maul escorted by the guards towards his cell as the door sealed tightly, leaving her and her sisters trapped inside.

“Hey Vas,” Vanya called her as she saw her sister and Vizsla’s cronies seated. “Are we going home now?”

“Not yet,” she answered her. “Vizsla summoned the higher-ups for a small briefing and such.”

“But it’s already late. Can’t you just tell him that you could do this tomorrow or something?”

“I’m sorry, Vanya,” apologised Vasilia, reaching for her hands. “You’ll have to wait outside for now.”

“But what about Mama and Papa?” Katrina raised her fingers. “You said that we could go home after we took over Mandalore.”

“And we will, but for now you’ll-”

“Oh, no one is going anywhere,” Vizsla told them. “All of you will have to stay here for an emergency meeting, including you and your sisters.”

Maria’s jaw dropped as she removed her helmet. “But why?”

“That’s an order, soldier,” he pointed at her. 

“Wait, you and Bo-Katan only said that this meeting is only for the higher-ups,” Vasilia recalled, as she stood up from her seat. “You never said that my sisters need to be involved as well.”

Bo sighed, before pointing her blaster at the Doyvesky’s sisters. “I really wish you didn’t have to ask, Vasilia.”

All four of them convulsed as Vizsla and his men did the same as well, surrounding them in circles. “I don’t understand,” Vanya’s voice shattered. “What’s going on here?”

“Shut your traps,” he barked. “You and I know that you were going to turn against us.”

“What are you talking about? Since when we were going to betray you?”

“Enough with your tricks, traitor,” Bo sneered. “We figured that you’ve been spying on us. We know that you were planning to strike us once we claimed Mandalore, and we know that the only reason you joined Death Watch was to report all of our activities back to the Jedi and the Republic remnants. Admit it, Master Jedi, you’ve been lying to everyone in this room, including your own flesh and blood.”

“Look who’s talking,” Maria rolled her eyes as she crossed her arms.

“Say that again, I dare you!” Bo roared, as she was about to push the triggers. “Come on, child. Since you’re so clever, might as well open that filthy mouth of yours.”

“Don’t you fucking talk to my sister like that,” Vasilia raised her voice, pulling out her weapon. “You have no right to say that to her.”

“Put down your weapon, traitor,” Vizsla demanded. “Or you and your family will perish.”

“You know what, I am sick and tired of being treated like shit by you and your fucking followers that act like a bunch of mindless sheep,” Vasilia expressed her dissatisfaction, shielding Vanya, Katrina, and Maria from potential gunfires. “You claim that you want to go back to our true Mandalorian roots, but only when it benefits you.”

“Vas, what are you doing?” Katrina clings her arms around Maria. “You’re going to get yourself killed.”

“Don’t you realize what you have done to gain more power?” she continued, ignoring Katrina’s pleas. “You claimed that Satine’s government had purged your culture and the people who practiced it and yet, you yourself ordered a massacre on the entire villagers on Carlac. You claimed that you would fight for the Mandalorian people and yet, you ordered a bunch of criminals to attack your own people just because you’re a bunch of cowards who want to look like you’re on the right side of history.”

“You may have won your battles today, and you may have successfully deceived your people into thinking that you’re their saviour, but we both know that you’re only doing this just to fulfill your own greed, that’s all.”

“You have a good point, Vasilia,” Vizsla let out a sigh as he stabbed her chest with his darksaber.

Dropping her helmet on the ground, Vanya’s lips quivered as she took a few steps backward, her eyes blinking.  _ No, this can’t be,  _ she shook her head in denial.  _ Vasilia can’t be dead. She has to be alive. She must be alive. _

Her head felt heavy as she watched Katrina and Maria running up towards their older sister, holding her hands for comfort.  _ This can’t be happening,  _ she spun around the throne room.  _ Vasilia is not dead. She’s not dead. She’s alive, and I know it. I know my sister better than anyone else in this room, and that is a fact. _

“Vas, wake up, wake up,” Vanya heard Maria sobbed. “Please, we need to go home to Mama and Papa. You promised that we would go home and have pizza together with Mama and Papa. You promised that everything would be back to normal. Please, Vas, please, we need you alive.”

“Take those scum to their cell,” Vizsla ordered his men as he glared at Vanya, who didn’t resist when her arms were locked together. “They are a disgrace to our people.”


	8. Chapter 8

Sitting inside a cubicle cell together, Vanya could only stare blankly at the Royal Prison corridors, with her dishevelled hair and her cracked lips, wearing whatever was left underneath her Mandalorian armour. Katrina and Maria, on the other hand, were pacing back and forth as they were having a conversation, which Vanya didn’t bother to listen to.

“Those fucking bitches,” Maria expressed her frustrations, fanning herself. “I fucking can’t believe they have the audacity to throw us in a fucking dungeon. I mean, who was the one who had to wrangle those thugs for them? They certainly didn’t fight their own self, you know.”

“To be fair, though, we were questioning their horrendous actions against innocent people,” Katrina brought it up, raising her index finger. “I’m not even surprised that they figured it out so soon.”

“Okay, yeah, that’s true,” Maria lifted her shoulders, nodding her head. “They heard us discussing which side to choose from, though to be fair, Death Watch was going to betray Maul in the first place and yet, they were so surprised when we haven’t even made a single fucking decision on whether to remain in Death Watch or fight for Maul’s criminal empire.”

“Well, at least now we know that Death Watch is the worst, though I wish that it didn’t have to come down to this.”

Maria exhaled as she gaped at the floor, her nose sniffling. “You know, it was foolish for Vasilia to say something at Vizsla,” she stated her opinion, blinking. “I mean, it was brave of her to call him a hypocrite and a weakling, but did she really think that she would make it out alive after what she said to him?”

Katrina’s eyes narrowed towards her younger sister, her jaws hanging low. “Maria, how could you speak ill towards Vasilia, after what she has done for us?”

“Well it’s true,” she raised her hands in mid-air. “What was she thinking? Like woman, if you want to speak up against Vizsla, might as well save that for later. Her words were the reason why the three of us are stuck here in the first place.”

“Bruh,” snapped Katrina, her thumbs stuck together with her four fingers. “Vas was trying to save us from getting killed. They were going to end all of us but instead, she ended up taking the bullet just for the three of us. And the fact that you would rather blame her for getting shot at instead is just ridiculous.”

“Hey, I blamed Death Watch too,” Maria retaliated. “I mean, Bo Karen there literally preached on how Vanya is betraying us when she herself had overthrown her older sister from the Mandalorian throne. Hypocritical, am I right?”

“You are so selfish sometimes,” she complained. “You always pointed out someone else’s flaw and yet you’re all bark and no bite. You never think whatever that comes out from that potty mouth of yours, and we have to suffer the consequences.”

“Well, I said what I said, Kat. You, on the other hand, are a coward.”

“Say that again, I fucking dare you!” accursed Katrina, grabbing Maria by the collar of her shirt. 

“Okay then,” Maria’s lips widened. “You are a coward and you rather keep your mouth shut than speaking out the truth.”

Jabbing her with her fist, the youngest Doyvesky sister’s head landed on the floor, causing Vanya to sprung out from her seat and shrieked from the top of the lung. “What is the meaning of this?” she demanded, holding both of them with her arms. “You two are fighting like small brats you are.”

She huffed and puffed as Katrina and Maria eyeballed their older sister, their mouths straightened. “Goodness, Vasilia just got stabbed by Pre fucking Vizsla and you two are fighting with each other like Maul and our so-called ‘hero’ of Mandalore. Do Mama and Papa teach you both anything about common decency or what? What are they going to think when they see you both like this?” 

Maria wagged her head as she buried her face between her knees, leaving Vanya’s head hanging low. “Maria,” her voice lowered, as she bent down on the floor, wrapping her arms around her shoulder. “I am so sorry. I didn’t mean every word I said, really.”

The grey-haired girl looked at her sister as she wiped her snot off her nose, before leaning her head against Vanya’s chest. “I miss Vas so much, I really do” sobbed Maria. 

“I know you do, Ria,” Vanya gently brushed her hair with her fingers. “And I know you didn’t mean every word you said about Vas.

“I can’t believe that Vizsla fucking killed her and called her a fucking traitor. After all she did to help him take back Mandalore, he just decided to get rid of her.”

“Yeah, I didn’t expect that too. I knew that they were trying to get rid of us one way or another, but I didn’t think it would be like this.”

Katrina joined in as she hugged Maria from behind, wiping the tears off her cheeks. “Hey, sorry for your face,” she regretted, examining the red mark below her eyes. “I didn’t mean to call you selfish. I should have known that you were in denial and I should have helped you instead of giving you a bruise.”

“It’s fine, I deserve it anyways,” Maria whimpered. “I’m sorry for talking ill about Vas. She was always putting us before herself, and I appreciated whatever she has done for all of us here.”

“You know what, I miss her too,” Katrina spoke. “I miss her nagging, and I miss her giving advice to me when I needed it the most.”

“I just wish I could say goodbye to Vas for one last time,” Vanya gave a small smile. “I always thought that I would be there for her all the time, but now she’s gone, and there’s nothing I can do about it to bring her back.”

The Doyvesky sisters bleakly sat there as they held hands and closed their eyes, humming soft prayers for Vasilia Doyvesky, when they heard an ear-piercing scream from the hallway, along with the glass shattering and electricity crackling. “What the fuck was that?” the youngest exclaimed.

Vanya stood up and glanced at the glass window, only to find Darth Maul and Savage Opress walking side-by-side. Having escaped from their cell, she took a step backward as the brothers passed by their cell, noticing their presence. “Vanya Doyvesky,” he murmured, smiling. “I see you and your sisters have outlived your abilities in Death Watch, is that true?”

“What do you want from me?” the former Jedi sneered, crossing her arms.

“I was aware that your sister was one of Vizsla’s right-hand men, am I wrong, Master Jedi?”

“She was, until they decided to kill her right in front of me.”

“My condolences for Vasilia Doyvesky,” Maul pitied, placing his hand on his chest. “She was one of the bravest warriors Death Watch has, and it was too bad Vizsla doesn’t see her that way.”

“She was also caring towards everyone she meets, and she doesn’t deserve to die that way,” Vanya cried. “I hated Vizsla, and I wish karma would be inflicted upon him and Bo and the rest of Death Watch.”

The Sith Lord exchanged a brief glance with Savage and smirked, before shifting his focus towards Vanya. “Well, what if I told you that you could avenge your sister’s death?”

Her eyebrows raised, as Katrina and Maria squinted their eyes towards him. “What are you saying, Maul?”

“I could kill him for you and take the throne away from Vizsla,” he offered. “I know that’s what your sister would have wanted for her family.”

“You’re wrong,” Maria barked. “Vas doesn’t give a shit about power. All she wanted was to protect us, that’s all.”

“Am I, though? I’m not the one who sided with Death Watch in the first place.”

“And yet, you and Vizsla worked together to overthrow the Duchess,” attested Vanya. 

“Oh, I was only using him not only to have my revenge against Kenobi, but to rule over the Underworld. If only I could use some help with this.”

“Do you really think I could trust you, after what you’ve made me do?”

“I could avenge your sister’s death,” he reasserted, releasing them from their cells. “Vizsla took something for you, so let me take something back from him. Your parents would be proud of you, and so will she.”

Her brows furrowed as her thoughts wandered. No matter what happens to Vanya, Vasilia always has her back. She lost count on how many times she went back-and-forth just to save her younger sister, even though she has her own family to worry about. She also couldn't remember how often Vasilia had to soothe her emotional pain, despite having a husband who was neurotypical.

_ Maul is right,  _ Vanya hoved, as she gazed at him. “How do I know I could trust you?”

“If you and your sisters helped me in defeating Vizsla, I guarantee all three of you will be given fair treatment and a bit of power towards my underling. Will that be alright for you, Master Jedi?”

Before she could shake on it, Katrina grabbed her arms. “Don't do it, Vanya,” she pleaded. “He's only using you for his own personal gain.”

“What other choice do I have, Rina?” she grimaced. “Vasilia's killer is still on the throne, and we need to get even with him.”

“We could just go home instead and see Mama and Papa again,” Maria called up. “We've been away from Mandalore for too long, Vanya. It's been years and we really miss them so much.”

“Vasilia promised us that we would return home once we're done with Death Watch,” added Katrina. “Please don’t do this, Vanya.”

“This is so confusing,” Vanya scratched the back of her head. “I don't know what to do right now.”

“You could either live as a warrior who fought with honour and pride, or you could choose to live as a disgraced Mandalorian who ran away from a fight,” Maul swayed, offering his hand. “It's your choice, Master Jedi.”

For a moment, she looked at her sisters, who were counting on her to make a decision that could change the date of their clan. Vanya loves her family and would do anything to be with them as long as she wants. But at the same time, she remembered her oath that she made in front of Mama and Papa before she was taken to the Jedi Temple.  _ Once a Mandalorian, always a Mandalorian.  _

“Vas has done so much for all of us,” Vanya said, as she shook hands with Maul. “I think it's time we give something back to her. She would have wanted us to avenge her death in the first place.”

“You have made the right decision, Vanya,” he was pleased with her decision. “And I'm sorry for your sister's death.”

Katrina and Maria could only contemplate as their older sister followed Maul and Savage through the hallway, taking down the guards in the prison. “I’m not going to like the ending of this,” the former lamented, clasping her hand with Maria.


	9. Chapter 9

Peering at Satine, who was trapped in her cell, Maul stood there and waved. “You are the now-former Duchess Satine, are you not?”

“What do you want, you monster?” Satine asked as she got up, her eyes narrowed.

“Nothing yet,” he crooned, eyeing on the blonde-haired woman. “But I will have a use for you in time. Where are the other leaders of your people?”

“You should know already,” she countered, in a harsh tone. “They've either sided with Vizsla or have been killed.”

She respired, before continuing her words. “There's no one left now but Almec and me, but he's as corrupt and vile as you.”

“Really?” Maul scoffed, as he veered to the cell next to her. “Thank you for being so cooperative.”

Vanya bowed respectfully to her as she tailed Maul and Savage next to her, facing the former prime minister of Mandalore. “Almec?” he called his name, unlocking his cell door. 

“Yes?” the old man replied, lifting his head up.

“I can deliver you from this prison,” catered Maul, giving his hand to him. “What was your position in this government?”

“I'm the former prime minister,” Almec informed him. “Satine imprisoned me on charges of corruption and conspiracy for using the black market.”

“He's a murderer,” Satine ratified. “He causes the death of children-”

“Quiet,” A Death Watch guard alarmed, prompting Savage to choke him with the Force. Almec leaned against the wall as Maul and Vanya approached him closer. “What do you want from me?” he demanded, sweat dripping from his forehead.

Mandalore is in need of a prime minister.”

“I thought you were in league with Pre Vizsla,” Almec raised his eyebrows, expressing his doubts.

“We were,” Vanya remarked, as she heard the crushing sound of the guard, who was begging for his life from Savage’s clutches. “Until he murdered my older sister with cold blood.”

With a loud thud on the floor, the Death Watch guard was lying on the ground with his icy pulse felt by Katrina. “He’s dead. We can’t revive him back.”

“Oh, clearly, you are powerful,” he said in awe, before invoking another question. “But how can the five of you overthrow Vizsla and his supporters?”

“Vizsla is a soldier, and like every soldier, he is bound by honor,” Maul stated in his observations he made earlier. “I will challenge him to single combat in front of his men. He will not deny me.”

“Oh, if you defeat him, Almec noted. “According to the ancient laws of Mandalore, his soldiers will be honour-bound to follow you.”

“Precisely,” Maul simpered.

“A good plan, my Lord,” Vanya applauded. “If you defeat Vizsla, Mandalore will be ours, along with our criminal empire.”

“That is correct, Master Jedi, however, the public will only know Almec as the leader of Mandalore,” he put forth. “Just as long as he does whatever we ordered.”

“So let me get this straight,” Katrina probed him. “We’re making Almec as our puppet leader of Mandalore, while we run the show from behind? Is that what we’re doing?”

“I see you know your politics well, young one” he gleamed. “Perhaps you and Almec shall work together in ruling Mandalore for me.”

“An extra hand in this government would be good enough for me,” Almec agreed. “After all, it’s nice to have a younger voice in my administration.”

“I’m grateful for this position,” she was pleased with the decision. “Thank you, my Lord.”

* * *

Back in the throne room, Vizsla was sitting on his throne along with the members of Death Watch when he received a holographic message from one of his men. “Sir! They’re attacking!” he prodded, before hovering in the air, grasping for his life.

The door burst open, revealing Savage Opress lifting the poor man in the air, provoking Vizsla to get up from his seat. The Zabrak warrior flung him in front of his leader, driving Bo and the others to raise their weapons against him.

“I challenge you, one warrior to another,” Maul hawked, pounding his chest. “And only the strongest shall rule Mandalore.”

His followers lowered their blasters as they looked at Vizsla, who took a few steps forward from his throne. “So be it,” he yielded, diverging to Bo-Katan. “Give him his weapon.”

She nodded and tossed his lightsaber from her belt. Maul grabbed his weapon and grunted as he activated his red-bladed lightsaber. “For Mandalore!” Vizsla thundered as he lifted his sword in the air, running towards the former Sith Lord.

Their sabers clashed with each other as Maul narrowly jumped, avoiding getting himself slashed by his opponent. He raised his legs and aimed for Vizsla’s face and kicked him, causing him to hover above ground with his jetpack.

Intercepting his WESTAR-35 twin blaster pistol from his holster, he pulled the trigger with both hands and fired in Maul’s direction. Maul rolled on the ground as he deflected the blasts with his lightsaber numerous times, while Vizsla landed on his feet. Switching with his darksaber, he clashed his weapons against Maul’s weapon as it spiralled downwards, giving him an opportunity to elbow him by the nose.

Maul groaned as he knocked his head with his sharp horns. Vizsla quickly regained his consciousness as their sabers struck again, before pulling out his blaster and gunning at him. Maul dodged the blaster shots again, but the Death Watch leader used his flamethrower against him, causing the former to duck.

As he flew backward, Maul chased after him with his lightsaber, only to be thrown an explosive at his face. He tumbled to the ground as Vizsla tossed another own, causing the glasses to break. As flakes of glasses landed on his tunic, he roared as he carried himself on his feet, only for the latter to hurl another bomb at him.

Landing on his back, Vizsla sprinted as the red Zabrak sprung back up, igniting his lightsaber. They both battled with each other in the throne room with passion and fury, kicking each other by the chest, making them fall on the ground.

Almec’s lips curved upwards as Vanya's hands were clasped together, rooting for the Sith Lord to seek revenge against her enemy. Their lightsabers clashed once more again and again as they were determined to kill each other. Vizsla swooped in the air as Maul charged towards him, only to miss his target.

He leaped into the air and punted him on the ground, forcing him to scream as his jetpack behind him crackled. As they both got back on their feet, Bo stared nervously as Vizsla pressed a button on his vambrace and scratched the surface of the glassy floors, leaving sheers flying everywhere. Maul shielded his face when his legs were tangled up by grappling lines, inciting Vizsla to shoot his lightsaber off his hand.

Charging towards him with his darksaber, Vizsla bashed Maul in the cheeks twice, before getting jabbed once on his chin and forcefully pulled by his neck. He yelped in pain as his darksaber flew from his grasps as he was heaved on the ground, noticing the gaze of disbelief from his followers.

Before he could get up, Maul propelled him on his torso, making his head spinning. As he managed to stand up, he was pelted on the side of his forehead twice and was kneed on his chin, causing his tooth to fall out from his lips. He felt the metallic taste in his mouth as Vizsla was chucked in front of the throne, where he once sat there with dignity.

Using the Force to reach for his darksaber, Maul activated the sword as Vizsla prostrated, looking away from his opponent with defeat and shame. "Like you said," he uttered. "Only the strongest shall rule."

He closed his eyes for one last time as his head separated from his neck, much to Bo-Katan's horror. Her eyes widened as her jaw dropped, while Savage snarled with vanity towards his brother.

"I claim this sword," Maul trumpeted, raising the darksaber in the air. "And my rightful place as leader of Death Watch."

His remaining followers, along with Vanya, Katrina, Maria, and Almec kneeled before their new leader, upholding their loyalty towards their new ruler of Mandalore. _May he burn in Hell,_ Vanya grimaced, staring at the remains of Pre Vizsla, who had fallen from grace.

But Bo, on the other hand, refuses to accept this new reality she is facing right now. "Never!" she bellowed. "No outsider will ever rule Mandalore."

Maul let out a sigh as Maul's followers targeted their weapons against her. "If you will not join me, you will all die."

"You're all traitors!" Bo screeched.

"Unfortunately for you, history will not see it that way," he shook his head, before giving out his orders. "Execute them."

"With pleasure," Maria grinned as she and her new army fought against Bo and her Nite Owls throughout the palace.

* * *

Standing in front of the distressed crowd at the podium, Almec addressed the crowd, with Katrina beside him. "Silence! Please! Silence!" he appealed to them, with a booming voice. "Hear me now!"

"Duchess Satine, the so-called pacifist, who could not protect you when your lives were at stake, has murdered Pre Vizsla," he concocted another lie, leaving the crowd gasping with surprise. "The true hero of Mandalore."

The people were talking indistinctly as Katrina rolled her eyes. "Satine is now under arrest, and it was Pre Vizsla's last command that I will be reinstated as prime minister."

I know my past is checkered, but I promise you, I take full responsibility for my people," Almec assured them, placing his hand on his chest. "And my heart now bleeds for your pain. However, from this point on, Mandalore will be strong, and we will be known as the warriors we were always meant to be!"

Almec and Katrina received cheers from the crowd as they returned to the throne room, kneeling towards Maul, who was now sitting on the throne. Savage and Vanya stood beside the new ruler of Mandalore, facing their underlings beneath them. 

"You have done well, Prime Minister," Maul lauded. 

"I shall waste no time in building my administration," Almec confirmed. "Together with my aide, of course."

"Choose wisely," he warned them. "I will hold you personally responsible for their failures."

"Yes, master," acknowledged Almec, stuttering. "Uh, is there anything more you require?"

"Go, rule my people."

"Yes, my Lord," Katrina bowed, as she and Almec excused themselves, before taking a glimpse of her older sister, who beamed proudly at her.


	10. Chapter 10

Carrying a tray of hot porridge and a cup of water, Vanya entered her cell and saw the Duchess contemplating the walls, with her hair loose. “Your meal, your Highness,” she knocked, as she showed her courtesy and placed them in front of the door. “It’s freshly-made in the kitchen.”

“I’m not hungry,” declined Satine, as she turned around, making Vanya avoid eye-contact with her. 

“Well, just in case you are, I’ll be leaving them here,” insisted Vanya. “Besides, when was your last meal?

Her eyes pried. “You seem wounded tight, soldier. Are you alright?”

“I should get back to my duty,” she avoided her questions, averting from her. “I can’t keep my master for waiting too long anyways.”

As she shut her cell door, Satine got up, leaning closer to the glass. “I know you don’t want to do this,” she blurted out. 

Vanya stopped dead in her tracks, her lips feeling dry. She was at a loss for words. “You’re a Jedi Master, am I right?”

“How did you know?” she stammered, shifting her focus towards her. 

“That’s what Maul referred to you,” Satine told her. “I was aware that he freed you in exchange for giving you power on Mandalore. Is that true?”

“Well, he also promised me to avenge my sister’s death by killing Vizsla,” Vanya included, bobbing her head. “I admit that he’s sketchy but at least he delivers his promise, unlike the latter.”

“Vanya, dear, do you actually want all of that? A Jedi never lusts for power and violence.”

_ She’s not lying,  _ she clutched her fingers together, her lips pressed. “Regardless of that, at least my family has better treatment now.”

“But at what cost? You’re distanced from your parents, let alone your own sisters.”

“My sisters are fine,” Vanya riposted. “I get to spend more time with them than when I was a Jedi, who was bound to the dogmatic rules that discourage their followers to form a loving relationship with one another.” 

Satine exhaled, reminiscing of her time with her former lover, realising that she cannot convince her. “Just be careful, alright? Your sisters can’t afford to lose another family member.”

Without saying a word, Vanya gave her a deep bow and headed towards the lift, leaving her alone. She was aware of the Duchess’s relationship with her younger sister and seeing them not getting along with each other saddened her. She could never imagine cutting ties with her own siblings, let alone her whole family. 

_ Is this what I really wanted?  _ she doubted herself, a drop of paint splattering on her chestplate.  _ Is Vasilia really proud of us? _

Staring at her Mandalorian helmet that she gained from Maul, Vanya reached for the brush next to her and gently painted the rim of the visor in crimson to complement his skin colour, and the lives of the people that he claimed with his blade that was forged from pure hatred. 

The Doyvesky’s colour, on the other hand, was emerald green, which matches the colour of the crops that were ravaged by war and violence surrounding them. Though Mandalorians were once proud warriors that forged through the storm, they were also farmers, artisans, actors, and peacekeepers, just like the former Duchess.

Noticing her vacant stare towards her armour, Katrina and Maria exchanged a brief look with each other before the latter cleared her throat and tugged her sleeves, catching her attention. “You alright, Vanya?”

“Yeah, yeah, I'm alright,” she nodded, as she put down the brushes, before taking a larger one. “I'm just thinking about what to paint on my armour, that's all.”

Katrina raised her eyebrows. “I'm pretty sure Maul wanted the colour scheme to be the same. After all, we're supposed to be a unified army.”

“Well, I never liked the colour red,” Vanya shook her head. “They look like-”

“Yeah, we get it,” she interrupted. “Red is the colour of blood. It leaves a stain on crops and grasses, just like what Mama used to say.”

“Why can't we just colour our armour based on our clan? It's the Mandalorian way.”

“Like Bo said,” Maria spoke, her cheeks stained with red paint. “Maul's an outsider who claimed the throne of Mandalore from Vizsla.”

“Since when do you agree with Bo Karen?” Katrina puzzled. “You never even like her in the first place.”

“I don't, but she does have a point, though Mandalorian culture believes in adopting others from different worlds, which Death Watch do not practice at all.”

“Yeah, they only take the part of the law that they like,” Vanya agreed. “Like murdering people and burning their village to the ground.”

“True, though Maul isn't a better option either,” Katrina clarified. “After all, he's letting a bunch of crime families help run Mandalore and the Underworld.”

“How do you know that?” Maria asked, nonplussed.

“That's what Maul literally said to us earlier while we were in prison,” she slapped her own forehead. “Besides, Almec agreed to it through formal documents with his cabinet.”

“He picked his administration already?” Vanya gasped in an exaggerated manner, covering her mouth. “Oh, do tell us.”

Katrina looked left and right as she gestured to her sisters to lean closer to her. “Okay, so from what I've gathered so far,” she began, in a hushed tone. “The people of Mandalore have no contact with the others outside the planet.”

“Are you fucking serious?” Maria voiced underneath her breath. “You mean to tell me that the HoloNet isn't accessible to them?”

“Unfortunately yes, but that's not all. While domestic communications are allowed, their transmission is monitored, meaning the government is watching every move of the citizens twenty-four seven.”

“But hold on,” Vanya raised her finger. “That's not freedom, that's just-”

“Authoritarianism and dictatorship,” Katrina finished her sentence. “Maul and Almec are running a police state.”

“You know, I never realise Satine's government were great until we overthrow her and replaced them with a fucking dictatorship,” Maria considered, stroking her chin. “But that doesn't really mean that pacifism works one hundred percent though.”

“The only reason why it didn't work was because of us,” Katrina enunciated. “I mean, we were the ones who hired those things in the first place just to make Satine look incompetent.”

Vanya wiped the back of her neck, before taking a breath. “Okay, so what's our plan? How do we get out of this mess?”

“We could go back to Mama and Papa, just like what Vasilia wanted,” Katrina gave her a reminder, shrugging.

“Impossible,” Maria disagreed. “Maul might kill our entire family if he finds out.”

“Yeah, that is true,” Vanya breathed. “Anything else that doesn't involve death?”

“Fine, we'll go along with our duties like before and see how it goes,” Katrina suggested.

“You di'kut,” Maria cursed. “The last time we did that, Vasilia was murdered by Death Watch.”

“Yeah, and we figured that Death Watch wasn't our thing.”

“I hate to admit, but that's our only option right now,” Vanya gave in. “If we act now, Maul will not only have our heads, but our families as well so for now, we'll go back to our duties, and then when the time comes, we can execute our plans, alright?”

Maria let out a frustrating groan. “Fine, whatever. Let's just hope we have better options after this.”


	11. Chapter 11

With the empty bowl and cup arranged neatly on top of the tray, Satine’s legs were crossed as she waited for the guard to pick up her finished meal that Vanya had made. The food was the only thing that kept her going, besides her hope for peace. It reminded her of home, when her mother used to cook delicious porridge.

It wasn’t much, but Satine would always cherish them whenever she could since that was the only thing available to them during the war. Her mother would scrap whatever rice they had left and boil them long enough in a pot of water, before mixing them with salt, pepper, and some onions and garlic for a bit of flavour. 

Unlike her mother’s porridge, however, the one that Vanya served her added a few slices of ginseng, ginger, and steamed chicken, making it aromatic. Satine couldn’t complain about the taste, since it was made with love. From what she could infer, her mother must have passed down her recipe so that her daughter could do the same for her children.

But in Vanya’s case, Satine felt that she must have given the recipe to her Jedi apprentice instead. Though the Jedi doesn’t form attachments with others, she knows their bond with their Padawan was strong, such as her lover’s intimacy towards his master, and both his young apprentices later on.

His first apprentice was rather brash and always ready for a fight, while the youngest often carries both her dolls everywhere she goes. She only met them once, but Satine enjoyed the little girl’s company very much. To her, the red-headed Jedi was just like her lover and his master, who possesses a kind heart and a dash of snark.

Satine blinked for a moment, before realising where she was sitting right now. The warm atmosphere felt cold, with the space around her tightening every minute she spent in her cell.  _ If only I could see him again,  _ she wished, when she heard her cell door hissed open, with a red-armoured guard standing in front of her.

“What do you want, you traitor?” Satine asked the guard, before he fell on his face, revealing a blond-haired boy, whom the Duchess recognised.

“We'll never betray you, Auntie Satine,” Korkie promised her. “I'm here to rescue you.”

“Korkie,” she grinned as she came up to hug him, before their heartfelt reunion was interrupted by another guard. 

“Freeze!” he raised his voice, pointing his blaster towards him, prompting them to put their hands in the air.

“Hold it there,” a Mandalorian renegade showed up, blasting him on the ground. 

“Death Watch,” Satine panicked, as the renegade took off her helmet, recognising her younger sister. “Bo, it’s been a long time.”

“It's okay, Auntie,” Korkie assured her. “She's on our side now.”

“Why are you helping now?” asked Satine, in a suspicious tone.

“The enemy of my enemy is my friend,” Bo stated, placing her hand on her older sister’s shoulder.

“There was a time when we weren't enemies, perhaps that time has come again,” Satines smiled, before gesturing to her nephew and her sister. “Come on, let’s go.”

Korkie nodded as he and Bo followed, who pulled out her twin blasters from her holster. Walking towards their speeder, they were greeted by Korkie’s former classmates, Amis, Lagos, and Soniee, who was waiting for them outside the prison.

“We’re all clear,” Amis gestured. “Come on.”

“We need to contact the Jedi Council,” suggested Satine, turning to her nephew. “Korkie, give me your comlink.”

“It won't be any good unless we get outside the city,” he revealed. “All of the frequencies are jammed.”

She sighed, glancing at his friends, whom Korkie knew since they were studying at the Academy together. “You are all taking a terrible risk by helping me.”

“Nothing we haven't done before, right Auntie?”

“Let's get going,” Bo called them, as they hopped onto her airspeeder, with the Nite Owls that were escorting them as well. As they drove in Sundari airways, Maria stood on top of the cubic building, watching their moves. Activating her vambrace, she flew behind them, along with her men.

Opening fire towards the speeder, there were explosions in the air, prompting Bo to get into a defense stance. “Take 'em out,” she commanded her soldiers, making them fly backward to deal with them. Both the guards were taken out easily, leaving Maria all alone. “Guess it’s just me then,” she muttered to herself, as she tried to aim for Bo, only to be grabbed by her lasso.

“Get the Duchess clear,” she warned them, with Korkie responding with a nod.

Maria could not move as Bo dragged her throughout the city, only to let go of the rope. Knocking against a wall on her back, she rubbed her head as she noticed the former Death Watch member heading towards the speeder, prompting her to carry herself on her feet and tail her from behind.

She was joined by another group of her own troops and fired towards their target, before launching a bullet towards the engine. Noticing the navicomputer beeping with a red screen, Lagos attempted to control the steering wheel as Satine held on tightly. Bo continued to engage with Maria’s forces as the speeder lost control, causing them to land inside a tunnel.

Maria and her partner landed on their feet as they continued to shoot them, provoking Korkie and his friends to fight back. “The transmission is still blocked,” Satine complained, searching for a better spot to contact for help. 

She jumped off the speeder and ran towards an empty spot, with Korkie taking down any soldiers that tried to attack his aunt. She found herself standing in front of a large platform, with her nephew guarding her. “You’re clear,” he told her.

The signal on her comlink boosted, making her smile for a brief moment. “This is a message  for Obi-Wan Kenobi, I've lost Mandalore. My people have been massacred.”

As she continued to speak, Maria landed behind Korkie, tapping on his shoulder. “Hi there,” she waved. “Long time no see, pal.”

“So I see you have sided with those traitors,” he chuckled, recognising her voice. “What are you gaining from them anyways?”

“Nothing much,” she shrugged. “I’m just doing whatever my sister wants me to. After all, family comes first.”

“I could say the same for me and Auntie Satine,” Korkie bobbed his head, as he was about to swing her fist towards her, only to be knocked out with her punch. 

“Sorry, buddy,” Maria gently stroked his locks. “Nothing personal between you and me.”

Satine noticed her presence, pushing her to finish her message. “Obi-Wan, I need your help,” she uttered, as Maria and her comrades surrounded her in circles, apprehending the Duchess.

“Take her back to her cell,” she instructed, glancing at Korkie. “I’ll take care of her nephew.”


	12. Chapter 12

“I46,” Cinta read aloud the bingo ball, making Obi-Wan groan in frustration. Arin, on the other hand, was smiling as she stamped her card. “I am definitely winning this game.” 

“Shall I say the next number?”

“Yes, please,” the red Twi’lek gave a thumbs up, prompting the pink Togruta to roll the cage, letting the numbers fall out of the flap on its own. Picking them up with her fingers, she read the next one. ‘O64,” she announced. “Do we have an O64 here?”

Obi-Wan and Arin shook their heads. “Nope, we don’t,” said Obi-Wan as he gazed at his own cards, with barely any numbers stamped at all. “Move on to the next number.”

Cinta’s eyes narrowed at the auburn-haired Jedi Master and turned to Arin, who was tapping her fingers on the table. “What about you, General? Do you have an O64 on your card?”

“I don’t have an O64, unfortunately,” she replied, sighing. “You can move on to the next number.”

He rolled his eyes as Cinta spun the cage again, picking up another number. “You don’t trust me, do you?”

“What are you saying?” she let out a chuckle, avoiding his glance. “I do trust you.”

“Do you, really? I asked a moment ago the same question as General Sallis and you answered her instead.”

“Well, I was just making sure, that’s all,” shrugged Cinta. “Besides, you have a habit of cheating in games like these.”

“Master Kenobi, you cheated in games?” Arin snorted, waving her fingers. “That’s very naughty of you.”

“I never cheat,” he insisted, showing his palms. “I just used the Force to my advantage, that’s all.”

Her eyebrows furrowed. “Master Kenobi, do you realise that you just described the definition of cheating?”

“No, actually, I just described my Force-sensitivity. Why do you ask?”

Cinta blinked as she crossed her arms and exchanged a wink with Arin. “Just ignore him, General. Cheaters never admit that they play dirty in games like bingo.”

“Maybe you should admit that you hardly pay attention,” Obi-Wan poked her left arm. “After all, I’m just better at games than you are.”

She simpered at her friend as she said aloud the number, predicting the end of the game. “O66.”

“Bingo!” Arin frenzied, showing her card to the Togruta. “I’ve won! I’ve won!”

Obi-Wan’s lips were sealed as his head hung low, clasping his hands together on the table. Cinta smirked at him, her hands rested on his shoulder. “You were saying, Kenobi?”

“Well,” he stammered, lifting his fingers. “You must have used the Force to let Arin win, am I right?”

“You’re such a sore loser,” she bared her fangs, slapping his shoulders in a playful manner. “Just admit that you weren’t paying attention the whole time.”

He softly laughed as he stroked his beard, his eyes focused at Arin. “It was a good game,” Obi-Wan offered his hand towards her. “I’m happy for you.”

“It’s not a big fuss for me,” grinned Arin. “After all, to win a game of bingo, you need Lady Luck by your side, if she feels like it.”

“What do you mean?”

“Basically, you need to pray that luck is on your side and then you can win the game,” she simplified as she composed herself, putting on her poker face. “After all, bingo is full of unpredictability, just like life itself.”

Obi-Wan chortled and nodded, realising what she said was true, based on his experiences. “That’s actually precise, if you think about it” he leaned against his seat, slurping a glass of water. “So far, the Chancellor was murdered, Eva and her sister went missing, and currently, we’re stuck in the middle of nowhere, so yes, life is full of uncertainty.”

“Yeah,” Cinta sighed, sitting next to him. “I kept having frequent headaches because too many are dying every single day, which is taking a toll on my health.”

“Using the Force to heal someone is difficult, even if you’ve trained long enough to handle the pain.”

“I can understand why there aren’t many Jedi Healers around,” she massaged her own neck. “The responsibilities are far too great and plus, do you have any idea how many pills I have to take?”

“I feel that,” Arin validated her feelings, rubbing Cinta’s back. “Medics and Healers are the most stressful jobs in wars, since they either risk getting themselves killed or die of infection since they’re too focused on their patients.”

Obi-Wan’s head drooped as he took a deep breath, reminiscing about the sudden death of his apprentice, whom he never got to say goodbye. “You know, it’s funny. It’s like yesterday we met them and then the next day, they’re not here anymore, you know. Never realise that life is too short until you see it with your very own eyes.”

Cinta hands him a handkerchief and pats his back as Obi-Wan sniffles when Anakin and Ahsoka walk into their tent. Noticing their presence, he cleared his throat and glanced at them, returning Cinta’s handkerchief frantically. “Anakin, Ahsoka,” he forced himself to smile. “Is there anything you need?”

“Master Yoda and Master Mundi want you in the briefing room,” his former apprentice informed him, sensing his grief. “Also, are you alright 

“I’m alright, that you, Anakin,” he bowed, as headed out of the medbay, much to their worries.

Passing by the clones who were preoccupied with their duties, the base on the Anaxes was crowded, with the remaining Republic officers pacing back and forth, ordering their soldiers to carry some crates which stores ammunition, rations, and spare parts for ships and vehicles. Tents and barracks were set up in rows just to house whatever is left of the Jedi, clones, and officers alike. 

Obi-Wan felt that the Republic remnants were lucky that they could gather as many soldiers as they could get to fight against the Separatists, which were reorganised into the first Galactic Empire under the leadership of Count Dooku. After what happened on Coruscant, which burned to the ground, he’s uncertain about the future of the galaxy.

Entering the briefing room, he bowed to Yoda and Ki-Adi-Mundi, who were waiting for him. “You summoned me, Masters?”

Both of them were silenced as they stepped away from the holotable, revealing a familiar face from his past. His eyes beamed as he saw his distressed lover again, prompting him to play her message that was delivered. “This is a message for Obi-Wan Kenobi,” Obi-Wan listened to her voice. I've lost Mandalore. My people have been massacred, and Almec is now the prime minister. I can't explain everything now but Almec has the support of the crime families.”

“Obi-Wan, I need your help.”

The message stopped playing, leaving him stunned. The last time he met her, Obi-Wan had to protect her from her enemies on her homeworld. Vizsla was there too, who eventually revealed himself as the one behind the attacks against her. He wonders if it’s the same case all over again. “Your thoughts on this, Master Kenobi?” Mundi asked, sensing his distress.

“Satine has been at odds with the Death Watch for years,” he recalled. “And according to a report from Eva Bella Young, they're no longer in league with the Separatists.”

He paused for a moment after mentioning her name, before continuing his words. “If there was a takeover on Mandalore, it was most likely an independent act caused by the Death Watch alone.”

The Cerean Jedi sighed. “Without involvement from the Separatists, this is an internal affair for the Mandalorians. I'm afraid we cannot help.”

“We cannot just hand Mandalore over to these crime families and let Satine become a martyr,” argued Obi-Wan.

“I'm afraid her decision to keep Mandalore neutral makes this situation difficult.”

“Understand your feelings I do, Obi-Wan,” Yoda spoke, in a calming voice. “But to take action, support from the admirals, we will need.”

“You know what the admirals will decide,” grumbled Obi-Wan. “They will not send aid to a neutral system.”

“At this time, nothing more can we do.”

“I understand, master,” he tightened his lips as he walked out of the tent, only to find Cinta and Anakin standing there, waiting. 

“Is everything alright, master?” asked Anakin, holding his hands.

“It's Satine,” he answered, swallowing a lump of saliva. “Her planet had been taken over by Death Watch again.”

“That's awful,” Cinta pitied, tugging on her shawl around her two-piece dress. “Are you going to rescue her? Surely you can’t just let her face her troubles all on her own.”

Obi-Wan shook his head. "Unfortunately, Mandalore is a neutral system. Since this isn't a Separatist takeover, we can't do anything at all."

“Well that sucks,” commented Anakin, placing his hands on his hips. “Someone has to do something about it.”

“I agree,” she nodded. “Neutral system or not, we should do something to help her. Is there anything we can do for you, Obi-Wan? I know that you and Satine were close to each other.”

_ She’s right,  _ he pondered, formulating a plan to rescue his lover who is imprisoned on Mandalore. If he could find a ship around the base, he could fly there in his own disguise and get her out of there. But he cannot do it with Anakin and Cinta, since this is personal between him and the Duchess and also, someone needs to cover-up for him. Besides, Eva would approve this plan anyways.

“Anakin, is there a ship you could lend me for a while?” Obi-Wan made up his mind. 

“Yeah, I still have the Twilight left,” Anakin replied, his head held high. “Why do you ask?”

“Great,” he thanked the Maker. “I need you both to vouch for me while I’m gone. No one must know that I’m heading to Mandalore. Is that clear?”

The brown-haired man smiled along with Cinta, pleased with his decision. “Now you're talking.”


	13. Chapter 13

Linking arms with Korkie, Maria saluted her fellow guards as they paced through the corridors. With the security camera disabled earlier, she could only hold her head high and smile underneath her helmet as they headed to the corner of the prison, with dimmed lights and an emergency exit clamped firmly.

“Where are you taking me, Mar?” he quivered in fear, as he saw her pulling out a key from her utility belt. “Are you going to kill me?”

“For goodness sake, Korkie,” she shushed him, placing her finger on his thin lips. “Just shut up for a moment. Do you want us to get caught or something?”

“Of course not,” Korkie shook his head as he lowered his voice, his hands cuffed together. “But at least tell me where you’re taking me. I don’t like being kept in suspense. It makes me really nervous, you know.”

“And I don’t like people who talk too much,” Maria crossed her arms, giving him a death glare. “So you either shut the fuck up or I’ll throw you to the dogs. Do you want that, blondie?”

He cracked up for a moment, much to her annoyance. “But you have blonde hair too, Mar. Are you trying to insult yourself or something?”

“Well, your hair is blonder than mine,” she shrugged, trying not to choke on her own words. “And besides, you’re tall, blue-eyed, and an uncultured guy with the same skin colour as milk so technically, you earned the title of a blondie more than I do.”

“Fair enough,” he lifted his shoulders as Maria focused on unlocking the exits. “Besides, I don’t mind being thrown to the dogs anyways. I like dogs very much as compared to cats. They’re adorable and a loyal best friend.”

“Korkie, when I say I’ll throw you to the dogs, I meant feeding you to them,” Maria said with her clenched jaw, unlocking the emergency door. “Now hurry the fuck up before they noticed that something’s up.”

He nodded as he followed her out of the prison, observing the bright lights on Mandalore. He looked forward to nice weather, if only he gets to experience it outside the domed city. “So, how was life outside Mandalore anyways?” he initiated a conversation between him and his old friend. “I haven’t seen you since our graduation from the Academy together.”

“Well, things were fine,” she answered as she took off her helmet. “I celebrated my graduation like there was no tomorrow. I was drinking, partying, spraying those party strings at the trees and shit, you know. Good times, good times.”

“That’s very expected of you,” chuckled Korkie, noticing her dyed bluish-grey hair. “I like your hair, by the way. It fits you perfectly.”

“Thank you,” Maria accepted his sincere compliments. “It’s hard to dye your own hair but hey, it’s my best effort.”

“Well, you do you, Mar. Besides, I know how you’re always looking forward to finishing school just so that you can do whatever you wanted without being bossed around by Ms. Jeanette.”

She burst out laughing as she pressed her nose with her knuckle, only to realise that she was supposed to keep her mouth shut. “Oh, I remember Ms. Jeanette alright,” Maria cleared her throat. “She always tells me not to be a lazy bum whenever I forget to do her homework every single time.”

“Yeah, and not to mention that she makes you pull your own ears and squat in front of the class,” he reminded her schoolgirl memories. “All the excuses you would pull whenever Ms. Jeanette asked about your homework. It’s a classic, really.”

“There was a small fire in the kitchen yesterday and somehow, my datapad got burned by an accident,” she remembered the simpler times. “Also, there was a power outage and I couldn’t save all my homework on time. Those are the ones that I made up in front of Ms. Jeanette. I thought it was pretty funny, really.”

“It was, actually,” Korkie smiled. “We all had a good laugh back then, you know, when the only thing we have to worry about was our grades. But now, my biggest worry is for my aunt and our homeworld. I don’t even know whether she would make it, or whether Almec’s government would spare her, or worse.”

Maria looked down as her shoulder slumped, thinking about the orders that were given to her by Death Watch and Maul. She was merely doing her duty, meeting ends meet for her Mama and Papa, whom she never got to see even after taking over his aunt’s government.  _ What will they say to me when they find my dirty laundry? _

“Maria,” he called her name as he took her hands, dragging her closer to him. “Please let go of my Auntie Satine. She was the one who supported me through thick and thin throughout my whole school life. I have a family, you have a family, and I know that you didn’t choose to put my aunt in prison.”

“I know you well, Mar. You’re not a bad person. I know that you’re capable of doing the right thing, even if you know that it’ll get you in trouble,” he frowned, as he let go of her hands and turned away for a brief moment, before looking at her again. “Look, all I’m saying is that it’s not too late to turn back to the right path. If my aunt can change, then so can you and your sister.”

She blinked as she stared at him, tongue-tied. Nodding solemnly, Maria loaned her jetpack to Korkie. “I’ll do my best to help your aunt,” she said. “Besides, you’re going to need this more than I do anyways.”

“Well, see you soon, pal,” winked Korkie, as he gave a pat on her shoulder and left her behind, making her wrap herself with her own arms.

“Satine's accomplices have escaped, including the renegade Death Watch soldiers,” Almec informed Maul, who was seated on his throne. Katrina’s hands were clutched together as she and Vanya exchanged glances with each other, paying attention to the two leaders of Mandalore. 

“But we will find them,” he reassured his master. “The duchess appears to have contacted the Jedi, just as anticipated.”

Vanya’s eyes widened as she felt her hands crawling in sweat, dreading the former organisation that were now in shambles due to her actions on Coruscant and the entire galaxy.  _ Which Jedi did she contact?  _ she wondered, taking a deep breath.

“Good,” Maul gleamed, crossing his legs. “You have done well.”

“What of the people?” asked Almec, as he turned to his aide.

“You are the legitimate prime minister,” he answered patiently. “Mandalore is a sovereign planet and you will maintain its neutrality.”

“And what of the Jedi?”

“Because of Mandalore's neutrality, the Jedi have no jurisdiction here. If Kenobi comes to rescue his friend, he will have to come alone.”

_ Oh my god,  _ she felt her heart beating rapidly.  _ He already lost Lira and Eva, I can’t break his already fragile heart. What is he going to say to me when he realises that I’m working with the person who killed Master Qui-Gon? _

“I understand, master,” Almec bowed, along with Katrina. “If you excuse us, we have work to do.”

“Of course, prime minister,” Maul allowed them to leave, with the guards escorting them out of the throne room. Katrina walked along the corridors when she noticed her younger sister in the corner of the hallway, prompting her to clear her throat. “Prime Minister,” she addressed him. “I need to excuse myself for a moment.”

“Go ahead,” he accepted her permission. “Just make sure you make it back on time.”

She bobbed her head as she rushed to Maria, who was hiding beneath her own shadow. She noticed a small bruise on her eyes, making her sigh. “Let me guess, Korkie did this?”

“Nope,” Maria shook her head. “I gave myself a bruise just to let him escape.”

“Of course you did,” Katrina rolled her eyes. “You and Korkie go all the way back to kindergarten.”

“We’re not even a couple,” she lightly punched below her shoulder. 

“I never said you were a couple,” teased the twenty-four years old woman, snickering. “Though I’m aware of your feelings towards him.”

“Shut the fuck up. At least I wasn’t rejected by a classmate of mine, unlike you.”

“Whatever,” Katrina groaned. “I already got over my feelings for them, okay?”

“Sure,” Maria brushed it off, before changing to another topic that she so desperately wanted to discuss. “Anyways, did Maul suspect anything about Korkie’s escape?”

She shook her head. “Nah, he’s only focused on the Jedi, so you’re safe for now.”

“Oh, thank goodness,” she sighed in relief. “I was so scared that he would have my head. Also, just your opinion, but do you  _ really _ like working with Maul and Almec?”

“Honestly, I don’t,” confessed Katrina. “I don’t even know why we are here anyways when we should be at home with Mama and Papa, enjoying a freshly-made pizza from the pizzeria near our house.”

“Exactly, but too bad Vanya is stubborn as fuck,” admitted Maria, fanning herself. “How the hell are we going to convince her anyways?”

“Well, Maul is waiting for Kenobi to arrive so that he could rescue Satine,” she disclosed the information she heard in the throne room. “Maybe he could talk her out of Maul's league.”

“That's actually a great idea, Kat. I'm sure Vanya would listen to her best friend and take his word of advice.”

“Then it's settled,” Katrina clapped her hands. “Now if you excuse me, I'll be in my office.”

Maria gave an okay sign to her as she watched her leave, before shifting her focus on her comlink.


	14. Chapter 14

Jumping from hyperspace, Obi-Wan flew into the Mandalorian atmosphere, which was barren with no trees or bushes, except for smoke rising from cabins, where people lived away from the city of Sundari. Despite that, however, they weren’t free from their new ruler, who monitored their citizen’s livelihood.

The port on Mandalore, however, was quite the contrary. With ships landing and departing from their respective platforms at the same time, workers on the docks were preoccupied with unloading supplies from outside. There were security guarding the docks, making sure that nothing suspicious happened under their prying eyes.

As the Twilight was about to land on an empty spot, a Mandalorian guard watched as the fins folded upwards, with Obi-Wan controlling the ship from the stuffy cockpit he was forced to endure. Surrounded by smokes and shaky controllers, he braced himself as she landed on the ground smoothly.

He sighed in relief as the lights were cut off, when one of the controllers beside him burst into a small flame, making him jump. “Anakin, that's the last time I borrow a ship from you,” he grumbled as he got off his seat and grabbed his helmet that was worn during his last mission to save the Chancellor.

Walking out with his Rako Hardeen disguise, the ship’s platform opened halfway, causing Obi-Wan to stomp on his foot to force it open. He inspected the condition of the ship, with the oil spilling from the engine and more smoke blowing from the exhaust port.  _ Sometimes I wondered how Anakin took care of his own ship in the first place. _

“You better get your ship looked at,” one of the guards came up to him, silently judging. 

“Oh, it's my friend's ship,” Obi-Wan answered smoothly as he rested his hands on the handle, only for the platform to drop suddenly, making him stumble. Parts of the ship were peeled off as the nuts and bolts were loosened from its grip, further embarrassing the Jedi Master. “He told me it was perfectly fine. Terribly sorry about that.”

“Do you have a landing permit?” the guard asked, ignoring the crash sound from the Twilight. 

“Um, I think I left it in the ship,” he pretended to check on his pockets, before gesturing to him. “Come with me, and I'll get it.”

The guard followed him all the way towards the ship’s common area, only to be knocked out in just one punch. The Moogan traders were startled by the faint sound, before continuing with their business. Obi-Wan emerged with a full set of Mandalorian armour, along with a jetpack and a brand-new helmet. After putting them on, he looked around and headed towards the airspeeder that was parked in front of his ship. 

Unbeknownst to him, he was being watched by Bo-Katan Kryze and her renegade soldiers. With a smirk painted on her face, one of her soldiers pulled out their blaster, only to be stopped with her head shaking. Activating the vehicle with a press of a button, Obi-Wan drove into Sundari, without any knowledge of what he was about to walk into. 

Meanwhile in the Royal Prison, Satine’s eyes were closed as she pushed herself to focus on peaceful thoughts. Remembering the techniques to calm herself down whenever she was locked inside a cramped space, she breathed in while squishing her thumbs to sedate herself from her fear.

Obi-Wan noticed specks of her shoulder-length blonde hair as he glanced at her from behind, before unlocking her cell. Assuming the disguised guard as either Vanya or Maria, she didn’t bother to turn around. “Here to do more of your master's bidding?”

He took off his helmet and gave a warm smile, announcing his presence. “I do my own bidding.”

“Obi-Wan,” she beamed as she sprung up and wrapped her arms around him, much to his pleasure. Feeling each other’s warmth for a moment, Satine broke off their hug as she searched for both his apprentices behind him. “Are you alone?”

“Yes, the remaining Jedi Council and Republic officers will be no help to us here,” he told her, as he took a peek at the corridors, which were seemingly empty. Taking her hands, he dragged her towards the lift, waiting for the next one to arrive. 

“I trust you have an escape plan then?” Satine raised her doubts, as Obi-Wan put on his helmet. 

“As always, my dear,” he winked as the lift door slid opened, only to stumble upon Maria Doyvesky, who was waiting for them to enter. Playing along with his part, he shoved the Duchess inside the lift as it closed, heading towards the prison exit. 

Peering at Satine and Obi-Wan, she wondered if she ever said anything about transferring prisoners from one block to another, before realising she didn’t. “There's no record of a prisoner transfer here,” she pointed out, not breaking eye contact with the both of them. “Care to explain yourself, soldier?”

“The orders came from upstairs,” he hesitated, looking away from the Chief of Security. 

_ Now why would I give an order from one of my men upstairs on prison transfer?  _ Maria blinked, until she recalled what Katrina told her earlier on in the hallways. “Hey, could I talk to you for a moment?”

“Oh, umm…”

Before she could begin her sentence, Obi-Wan knocked her as the lift opened, leaving her lying on the ground. Blood oozed from her nose as she watched them escape towards their speeder, making her scream in fury. “Get your ass back here, you son of a bitch!” Maria raged as she got up, chasing after them.

Obi-Wan and Satine drove away as the commando guards tailed them all the way to the docks. The others who were patrolling the area saw them heading towards the ship, asking for reinforcement. “It's the duchess,” one of them shouted. “She's getting away.”

Buckling up inside the cockpit, Obi-Wan lifted the ship in the air as Death Watch opened fire towards them. “We have to contact my sister for help,” Satine suggested, holding his hand. “She'll send reinforcements.”

“Who's your sister?” he asked, raising his eyebrows. Before he could leave, however, the engines took the worst hit, causing the ship to blow up. “Brace yourself!”

As it twirled in the air, Obi-Wan stood up and rushed out of the cockpit with Satine beside him. “Let's get out of here.”

Within a second, the front part of the Twilight was pulled apart, causing Satine to grip her hands tighter as she found herself hanging for her dear life. “Obi-Wan,” she cried. 

With an ear-piercing crash and a huge explosion, Obi-Wan's grasps loosened as they crashed to the ground. The debris of the ship crushed Satine who was underneath it, prompting the Jedi to lift it away with the Force. Her eyes were closed as he tried to reach her, only to hear a familiar footstep.

He took a peek and saw his best friend walking towards him, giving her hands. “It's okay, Obi-Wan,” Vanya reassured him, caressing his cheeks in a gentle manner. “You're safe now.”

Sighing with bliss, he took her hands and gazed at his childhood best friend, with whom he shared a close bond. From sharing a piece of candy with each other to training their Padawans together, Vanya was the only friend he could rely on when it came to his deepest, darkest secret. For a while, her disappearance after the Battle of Coruscant made him stay up all night, wondering whether she was still out here, until today.

“Thank goodness you're here,” he smiled as he rubbed behind his head. “I thought something bad happened to you.”

“I'm alive and well, burc'ya,” Vanya smiled back genuinely. “I was worried about you too. I heard that Dooku really took over Coruscant and destroyed the Jedi Temple.”

“Yeah,” he nodded, sadly. “And he took Eva and Lira too.”

“I know, Obi-Wan,” she pulled him into a hug, frowning. “I miss them too. They were like daughters to me.”

“They were,” the Jedi Master let out a sniffle. “I still have their toys with me. You know, the cowgirl doll, their tooka doll, and a raggedy doll that Padmé gave them.”

“And the hummingbird droid that Lira built from scraps.”

“That too,” he bobbed his head when he saw his lover on the floor, making his jittery. “Goodness me, I almost forgot about the Duchess. We need to get her out of here.”

Vanya sealed her lips together as she watched him carry her in his arms, leaving her beaming for the couple. She remembered him telling all about her, and how they used to kiss before Obi-Wan had to separate from her. She finds their story romantic and yet sad, as she was aware of what's going to happen next.

_ I hope Maul spared both of them, _ she thought, as Obi-Wan glanced at her. “Do you happen to have a spare ship around or something? We need to get Satine to safety before Death Watch gets to her.”

“Oh, yeah, we do, actually,” she lied, as she led them to the same speeder they took. “I could lead you to my family’s ship, if you want to.”

He took a seat behind, holding Satine with him. “Thank you, Vanya,” he showed his appreciation. “I knew I could always count on you.”

She could only fake a smile as she felt remorseful for her actions that she is about to undertake against them.


End file.
